Unleashed
by Ferosh
Summary: Kenneth Webber, admitted to hospital for a werewolf bite and subsquently the end of his life as he knows it, meets Remus Lupin. SLASH, in large amounts. RL/SB, OC/RL. Beta'd by Bad Wolf 42.
1. One Day

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title:** One Day

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. Hell, I probably don't even own the words I used to write this.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; That Guy Again! Did such a great job.

* * *

The wound in his side ached with more force and pain he'd ever felt before. His fingers dipped under the blankets to touch it softly. He hissed in fear as he felt the cuts and gashes through the heavy bandages. It hurt horribly; the thudding pain echoed through his body causing him to flinch whenever someone's hand went near it to change his bloodstained bandages or to check on it.

They hadn't been able to stop the pain- they'd given him many potions but he'd had side effects to the simplest ones the Healers had on hand, so they decided to let him deal with the pain as best he could. He tried to keep still because if he didn't move, it wouldn't hurt. It hurt more than the time his Uncle had hit him in the head with a Beater bat, cracking his skull. He'd only been ten and hadn't experienced any other horrific pain until fourteen years later, when he'd been attacked.

He supposed that he remembered the night vividly as it had only been several weeks ago, on the full moon. It was easy to remember the fog sitting desolately around him as he strolled in the small garden behind his home, kicking some gnomes over the low hanging fence as he went. He was humming to himself, a cheery tune, he remembered. He'd been happy. It struck him as insanely marvellous that he was able to be happy in the seconds before his life flipped in a three-sixty degree angle. He could clearly account the dark shaggy human shape that had leaped over his low fence yet hardly had the time to react before the wolf was on him. He'd never been able to reach for the wand up his sleeve. There was no time. He didn't need to remember the blinding pain when the monster's teeth had ripped through his flesh and changed him; he was feeling that pain now. It was a mystery as to who had bitten him, but right now the Healers seemed to think it had been Greyback as he was the only werewolf making attacks at the moment, attacks in the heart of London suburbs anyway.

A werewolf in the middle of the fucking suburbs! After he'd regained consciousness, finished staring blankly into space after receiving the news of what had happened to him, and then had a good fit about, he'd been appalled at that. The werewolf was in the suburbs where there were Muggles and children, not to mention Muggle children. Wasn't that why the Ministry sub-divisions had been formed, to protect against threats like that? Normally, a werewolf would have been fine, but it was on the night of a full moon and, as far as he'd heard, the Ministry had failed to track down the werewolf who'd bitten him. He supposed that their interest in him had lessened since he was now on record as one himself.

Everyone knew werewolves had it bad. He knew it and, he'd spent a good deal of his stay crying about that and staring distantly at the ceiling. Recovery was second on his mind; he wanted his life back, and he wanted to learn how to cope. The Healers seemed unable to give him either of these things; only false hope and new bandages.

He wasn't himself anymore; he was a monster, a freak in the eyes of others. He'd learnt that when the Weasleys had come to visit Arthur. He was a nice man who'd tried to console him as best he could but only when the talk was down. Arthur Weasley had told him he knew a werewolf, and that he was a pleasant man, not a danger to anyone. He couldn't help but snort at that. Not a danger? Try hanging around with any werewolf on the full moon.

Arthur had tried to help the Healers when they'd tried to persuade him that he'd have a normal life. "Kenneth, dear," they'd say, "you're young, only twenty-four, plenty of life left in you. You can have a completely normal life." That was when Arthur had jumped in, as upbeat as you like and started talking about the werewolf he knew and that he found the condition quite easy to manage. Kenneth had replied briskly that he was feeling quite willing to give Arthur another bite to add to the collection; he'd been feeling restless that day, tossing and turning in no end before finally the restlessness left him, and he went back to staring at the ceiling. Arthur's family, his wife especially, you could always tell which ones were Weasleys, were a little skittish of him when they came to see Arthur. His wife had actually said quite loudly before correcting herself and lowering her voice that she didn't think it safe for the werewolf to be in here; shouldn't he be in a private room?

He'd like to be in a private room, it was off putting to have other visitors trampling through here to see Mr Weasley when he had none himself. It made him terribly lonely. But who would want to see someone in his condition? His parents had not come, and he didn't think they ever would come to see him again as his father and mother both had a strong phobia of werewolves, and his brother worked for the Ministry who took an anti-werewolf stance, so he'd never show. He'd had no visitors and was continuously expecting none, not even for Christmas which was two days away. Kenneth knew he couldn't let his hopes get up.

That single bite had spelled out the end of his life as he knew it, despite the Healers reassurances. The Healers, stupid as they were though they knew their craft, continuously asked him if it hurt, with "sweetie" or "darling" attached to the end of the sentence. Yes, it hurt but the way they tried to console him hurt more. He just wanted to leave and possibly lock himself away for all eternity so he wouldn't be a danger to anyone. He didn't want to hurt. The Healers had been good to him, but he couldn't help but notice the nervous way some of them acted around him. Some never spoke to him- they just came in placed his food on the table and left. And he could feel the others who had to see to his bite shaking from nerves as they peeled away the fabric that surrounded it.

He always wanted to snap at them the date of the next full moon and how human he'd be until then, but he hated thinking of the moon now. Even seeing the quarter and half moon made him scared. He had a right to be scared though. But some of the Healers, these were the ones he liked, the ones who treated him like any other patient, the ones who spoke to him like he was a normal person with just an ailment, they spoke to him like it would go away, and they saw him as Kenneth, not a werewolf. But even they had to accept what he was and had to talk to him about his life. It was horrible to hear them trying to be cheery about it. He'd give anything to have Arthur's wound, a mere snake bite. So what if it bled like the world was coming to an end when they took the bandages off, at least he didn't have wolf blood running through his veins and ready to rewrite what the Muggles called DNA. He couldn't do anything about it, there was no cure. When he'd remembered that, his body had started to shake softly yet controllably, and tears slipped down his cheeks.

Christmas day was looking to be terrible, another event to prove just how alone he was. As expected nobody came to see him, not his parents nor his brother. He hadn't thought they would, why would they? Their son and sibling was now a monster. No presents, nothing. His friends had abandoned him too, surely they would have heard from his parents who'd been informed the minute after he'd struggled losing a lot of blood to send a distress single through his wand. Little shits they were.

Intense loyalty was not something anyone in his family was good at, apart from himself. He liked to think that he'd be here beside a family member or friend if they'd been bitten but there was no way in telling what he'd really do unless what had happened to him happened to him. He just liked to think he was a better person then they were. He wanted to go home as well, spend Christmas where nobody like the Weasleys could see how alone he was. He was so young as well. It just wasn't fair. What had happened was not fair. He eyed the Weasleys jealously as they and a few tagalongs milled joyously around Arthur, gleefully being a family for Christmas. Mrs Weasley shot an anxious glance his way, like she was scared he'd suddenly jump up and bite her precious children. They made eye contact for a split second before Kenneth pulled his eyes away quickly to the ceiling not bothering to see who else had come along with the group.

Staring up at the ceiling feeling glassy eyed and withdrawn, Kenneth let his eyes fall back to the group and saw an aged man staring back at him with wistful brown eyes and shabby unkempt dark yet greying hair falling over them. Kenneth, again, quickly pulled his eyes away from the group feeling like he was intruding, but he caught the small half smile the man gave before he turned away back to the ceiling again.

Suddenly a shriek erupted from Mrs Weasley and Kenneth flinched hoping deeply that he hadn't been the source of it, Mrs Weasley was uncomfortable with him sharing a ward with her husband and honestly, he couldn't blame her. But it was nothing to do with him; Mrs Weasley was starting to have a fit over the Muggle remedy he'd heard Arthur and his Healer discussing the day before. If Kenneth had thought butting in was a good idea when they'd been talking about it, he would have agreed to the idea because he'd had those Muggle stitches before and they'd worked very well for him even though the gash had been smaller than Arthur's bite.

He groaned and shifted in the bed as the saw many of the Weasleys dispersing as if they felt an oncoming argument but stopped tensely as he saw the man coming towards him, striding over quickly looking pained as he looked back on Kenneth. Soon he was standing beside his bed.

'I'm so sorry,' the man murmured. Kenneth was shocked as the man drew up a chair beside him and sat down elegantly beside him, staring sorrowfully down.

'What for?' he asked sitting up a little against the hard pillows behind his head and rolling his head to one side to watch the man. If this man was going to give him some company he'd best enjoy all the company he could get. 'You haven't done anything.'

'Arthur told me,' the man continued solemnly, like the world was sitting against his shoulders, 'what happened.' He smiled awkwardly pushing his hair away from his face. He looked ill and worn, like one good hex could finish him off. He sighed gently and touched Kenneth's hand that lay out from under the protection of the sheets that covered him. Kenneth had an urge to pull away from this strange touch, as he hadn't been touched this calmly and fondly since before he was attacked. He didn't pull back and looked up at the man inquisitively. 'I'm so sorry,' the man repeated his eyes suddenly downcast.

Kenneth shrugged. 'No need to be,' he said firmly. 'Who are you?' he asked with a light awkward laugh. It was beginning to get a bit uncomfortable, not knowing this shy and apologetic man's name.

The man looked as though he contemplated this answer for sometime before coming to a decision within himself. 'Remus Lupin,' he said quietly.

Kenneth sat up further in the bed so quickly that he jolted his bite and pain flared. He clenched his eyes shut as tried not to let the tears seep down his cheeks. Sometimes he thought the side effects of the potions would be better than having to go through this pain whenever he moved. 'The werewolf?' he asked in a hissing voice.

He'd heard all about Remus Lupin, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who'd only been at Hogwarts for a year before turning on several students during the full moon, not that he could have helped it then. It must be nature. His own mother had had a panic attack about the fact someone inflicted with such a disease had been allowed to teach at the school. Albus must have lost nearly all his marbles and that was precisely why neither of her sons had gone to that school even though they were well before Remus Lupin's teaching years. He opened his eyes once he felt safe that he wouldn't tear from pain in this man's presence.

'Yes,' Remus Lupin said, nodding his head. 'Don't worry,' he said soothingly, 'the pain will leave eventually. Have they not given you any potions to stop it?'

'I have bad side effects to them,' muttered Kenneth looking up into the older werewolf's eyes. He sighed deeply and played with the sheets that lay over his chest with his fingers. He bit down on his bottom lip before the resistance to hide how scared he was broke. 'What's going to happen to me?' he asked, hearing his voice break sharply. 'The Healers keep telling me I'll live a normal life, but you know better than anyone here what it's like.'

'You're shaking,' Lupin noted, avoiding the question in a way that sent shivers up Kenneth's spine. 'May I?' he asked standing up and walking around the bed to where Kenneth's hand had flown when he'd moved to quickly and sparked up the pain again. Lupin's fingers touched the edge of the hospital quilt before he received a quick nod from Kenneth allowing him to lift up the quilt and see his wound. Lupin snarled on sight of it and quickly lowered the blanket looking back at Kenneth. 'What's your name?' he asked kindly.

'Kenneth Webber.'

'Listen, Kenneth,' Lupin said crossing back over to his seat and sitting down. 'I'm not going to lie to you about this. Once you've been bitten lycanthropy is not easy to deal with but you have to learn how to. One of the hardest things is letting the wolf share space in your body -'

'- the wolf? I don't understand.'

Lupin didn't look as though he minded that Kenneth had interrupted him and continued with his explanation just stepping back a few paces to educate Kenneth more deeply about what was happened, something the Healers had failed to do. 'Once you are bitten you basically have to share your mind and body with a wolf type impersonation of yourself. A bite from a werewolf on full moon will transfer some of its blood into you, the wolf blood never the human blood. And that changes the structure of your body. This shaking, how long has it been going on for?'

'Two days before Christmas,' Kenneth said wasting no time. He would gladly tell Remus Lupin everything he knew. There was a great sense of trust about the man, and he was calming and soothing. The soft way in which he spoke had easily made Kenneth place all his trust in the hands of this man inflicted with the same illness as he. 'The Healers just gave me another blanket but the shaking hasn't stopped.'

'It's normal,' Lupin said. 'The wolf is just trying to find a place inside and when it comes through fully, it will be violent and destructive. All werewolves need to learn how to control their wolf if they want to live as normal a life as possible; it's something you have to learn to live with. Everyone's wolf is different, but all are very strong and dangerous. If I let my guard down, even on a normal day not near the full moon, I could endanger people around me. It is hard trying to master your wolf at first, but most manage it. Fenrir Greyback has not because he chooses to run feral,' said Lupin, his voice sounding hoarser then when he had begun speaking as if Greyback was a great deal of trouble to talk about.

'How do I?'

'With time,' Lupin said. 'I do not think you will be able to master your wolf before this full moon, and maybe even the next. It takes time, whenever you feel it – you will know when you do – just push it aside, gently. For some it takes a long time, others not so long. Don't give in to what it wants you to do, unless you want to run wild.'

It wasn't so much a question but Kenneth felt obligated to answer it as Lupin had looked nervous as he'd mentioned running wild and letting it control you. 'I don't want to run wild,' he murmured softly. 'What will I do?' he added tearfully. 'The full moon, what am I going to do?'

'Stay calm,' Lupin suggested mildly. 'You'll be fine. Firstly, don't worry about that yet. It's two weeks away, less actually. But don't think about it yet. When they let you just go home and relax. Before the full moon, a couple of days before make sure you are isolated. Go somewhere where you can't be a danger to anyone and set up wards also. Don't try to fight what happens on the night; it'll make it worse.' He touched Kenneth's forehead gently. 'Have they offered you a stock of Wolfsbane?'

'Yes.'

'Take it; it'll help with some of the Dementia during the transformation. You may find you hold on to some more of yourself each full moon. It will help, but it won't cure.' Lupin smiled distantly and rose from his chair. 'If you need any help, please let me know. I'll be more than willing. If you have more questions, Kenneth, don't hesitate to ask me. I know I have been vague but everyone's wolf is different, and it's hard to tell exactly what will happen. The Healers are right though; if you can control your wolf, you'll have a normal life spare one night a month. It was nice to meet you,' the man said as pleasantly as he could.

'Thank you for that. I mean, I feel better now that someone who knows, really knows, has spoken to me.'

'Not a problem,' Lupin answered. 'Oh,' he paused and dug into the pockets of his torn and patched cloak before drawing out a rumpled square package. 'Would you like some chocolate? It is good for calming the nerves.'

'Will it cure me?'

'Nothing will. I'm sorry.'

'Then, no thank you.'

'Remember; don't hesitate to send me an owl. I will be happy to talk to some more.'

'Thanks, I won't forget. Happy Christmas,' Kenneth said trying to sound bright and perky when he said it but failing miserable. Lupin smiled knowingly.

Remus Lupin nodded and tucked the chocolate back into his cloak pocket before striding away, only stopping to wish Arthur good bye and bidding him a Happy Christmas before leaving the wing. Kenneth watched him almost sad that the man could not or would not stay longer with him. It had eased him to see that Remus Lupin, who was such a gentle man, had been bitten as he had and looked to be coping fine. He was a little on the shabby side of things, just a little worse for wear, but he was charming, and the only thing he had going against him was how the Ministry felt about his lycanthropy.

The fear of werewolves had always been high, it was one of a parent's worst nightmare, and he knew that, but before his attack he'd been hearing things about how people thought werewolves were a step below normal humans and they thought they shouldn't have a place in this world – they were basically suggesting a mass extermination. Kenneth had been unsure of his stance on that matter before the bite, but now he was certain he didn't want that to happen because it would mean he went too, and the charming Remus Lupin.

His name was however a little unfortunate. Remus Lupin, ironic. He couldn't see the man changing his name so it must be a birth name. Kenneth had a less suspecting name. He was simply Kenneth Mortlock Webber, the only vaguely magical connotation in his name being the Mortlock which had belonged to his great Grandfather.

Kenneth sighed tiredly, hurt by the ache in his side and nestled down against the pillows, opting for an afternoon nap. He was comforted by all Lupin had said to him and knew that he could owl if something happened, and he wouldn't be going home for a while, he'd be safe in the hospital. He didn't want to worry about the nearing full moon and as Lupin had advised him not to, he wouldn't. He decided what the man said about isolating himself was a good idea, and he pondered over that as he drifted between the lines of sleep and awake.

'Mr Webber, Mr Webber,' the voice of one of the nervous Healers roused him from his sleep and opened his eyes blearily to see the plump woman's figure standing on his bedside looking down at him with frightened eyes. 'Wake up, Mr Webber.'

'I'm awake,' he said groggily. 'What is it?'

'I was told to wake you and give you this,' she said her voice croaking as she handed him a letter. She scurried out without waiting for a thank you as soon as Kenneth took the letter.

He flipped it over to look at the crest stamped on the back that closed it and frowned. 'From the Ministry,' he murmured softly to himself still tired from sleep. He pried it open restlessly wondering since when the Ministry had started sending Christmas cards as the outside looked jolly enough to be one. His expression fell when he read the inside.

Another reminder of what he had become.

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**hint **I love feedback **/hint  
**I hope you enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the other chapters and the rest of the story!


	2. Bend and Break

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title:** Bend and Break

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. Hell, I probably don't even own the words I used to write this.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; That Guy Again! Did such a great job.

* * *

The letter sat on the table opposite from the head of brown hair that was resting his brow against the cool wooden table top. The curled corners, messed that way from constant touching, fluttered gently in the breeze that swept across the room from the open window.

The house was moderately untouched: a very tidy place with not even a hint of organized mess anywhere. A stronger tuft of air buffeted against the curtains from another open window behind the still form in the kitchen. The curtains, plain blue, were ripped from their hangings, and the bottoms that rested against the top of the tap heads above the sink were torn, shredded into mere strands of blue fabric. That was the only hint of destruction in the flat, but anyone who walked in would be able to feel the tense atmosphere situated in the room, especially hanging limply around the still form of the man sitting quietly at the kitchen table with the letter before him.

A sniff sounded from under the folds of hair shielding the man's face from view as he reached out toward the letter, grasping it in his hand and pulling it back to him. He lifted his head shortly and surveyed the letter again with pale blue eyes before flinging it back across the table with a sigh of despair.

First had come horror, quickly followed by a bout of tears, then had come slight anger with Kenneth jumping up like a spring and slashing what was closest to him at the time: the curtains. But on remembering Remus Lupin's words, sat in deep concentration for ten minutes while he focused on pushing that anger aside. Sadness had come again, settling deep on and pushing him forward so he rested pitifully on the table.

He hadn't thought about it for two days after receiving it in the hospital, but he'd only just arrived home and was not taking it well. Now that he'd reached for the letter again, something else had sparked within him, but what was written on the page gave him little time to think about what emotion was coming through and what he should do to stop it. There was little he could do about this – what the letter said, how it limited him, restricted him, and classed him quite happily as someone below the rest of the magical population, a creature close to dirt.

According to the Ministry of Magic, Kenneth no longer had the rights that he'd had when he wasn't inflicted. He was so restricted that the people at his current job had sent him a letter detailing his own resignation that he had never filed; he couldn't hold a job any more.

The Ministry of Magic made sure of that. If he wanted a job he'd have to go through screenings to make sure he was safe to be around even when the full moon was weeks and weeks away, and he was sure that the Ministry would see to it that he'd failed those screenings. If he was caught doing something against the law, Muggle or magical, he'd be sent to Azkaban without a trail or a second's notice. If he merely scratched someone with a nail or shoved them in a queue by mistake, the Ministry had every right to terminate his life under the law passed in 1637 by the Werewolf Code of Conduct if he should harm someone even if it was not the full moon.

Dolores Umbridge had been playing around with the Werewolf Code of Conduct as her dislike for half-bloods was well known and it was she who had made it almost impossible for Kenneth to get a job now. And once the Ministry had informed his employer of his new aliment they had chosen to fire him rather than go through all the trouble of keeping him on the job. One thing the Ministry had done for him was to gain his records from the hospital and put them into the registry as it must be done within 48 hours of receiving the bite. They'd entered all his records (place bitten, time bitten, hospice held at after bitten, and then all the unessential's, like name, address and former job) and sent him a number along with the letter that he must present when being questioned by any Ministry official even if it was not about his lycanthropy.

And, apart from all of this, and making sure someone would report his death so the Ministry could file it into the registry, he was on his own. All he had to do to keep the Ministry happy was to be scarce half the time. The Ministry only cared if he died or caused a fuss.

Kenneth choked out a sob that racked his whole body. What was he going to do without a job? Sure, he had a small amount stashed away in Gringotts and it was enough to live off modestly for the rest of his life but, the Ministry even had a grasp on that. They could rightfully pull it out from under him whenever they pleased. If they saw that he did something wrong they could take everything he owned right away from him, and they could describe it as lawful punishment for the threat to our society.

Kenneth was sure that all the wizards and witches who knew nothing about werewolves would nod joyously thinking that's right, a threat they are. Randomly, Kenneth snarled down at the letter before him and grasped it in both hands and ripped to shreds, letting them fall down, down, down to the wooden surface. It was bad enough finding out what had happened to him after he'd awoken in St Mungo's suffering from significant blood loss only to discover he'd been bitten by a werewolf.

Now he had to deal with losing all the privileges the normal wizard had! He rose to his feet, his knees banging against the table. He had little for that and gripped it with both hands before flinging it aside where it smashed with a racket into the book cupboards that separated the dining area from the kitchen.

'No job!' he shrieked loudly storming across to one of the chairs that was left violently wobbling after being hit by the table as that flew past. He snatched up the chair and broke every single one of the four legs in fluid movements like he was tearing through paper. 'No chances!' he growled throwing the broken legs at the wall to the study and living room. He threw one so strongly it burst through the wall, making a perfect little hole in the wall. 'No life!' he snapped vividly as he kicked down the door separating the rooms with strength that would have surprised him if he wasn't so overcome by anger. 'Fuck Merlin!' he hissed and pushed the bookshelf over, snarling and swatting away the books that fell atop of him before he moved aside to destroy the couch.

His rampage only discontinued when he cut his hand open on a nail that protruded from the ill made chair in his bedroom. He stopped suddenly like this had all never happened and sat shakily down on the floor, staring at his bloody palm. 'Ow,' he murmured feeling around for his wand. He looked over his shoulder for it wondering why it wasn't on him; he saw the debris from his mad rage first.

Everything was strewn about the place, and it looked as though nothing had been left untouched. Though he only remembered up until the part just before he'd started to maul the couch. He stared, panting heavily at what he had done on impulse and lifted his hand to his forehead to push back the hair that was sticking to his sweaty skin. The blood of his hand dripped down into his eyes, and he shook his head sharply, expelling it from his vision. He could smell the red life on his hand and almost taste pointed tang of it. He tried to breathe in deeply and look away from what he had done upon impulse; he'd never ordered his body to do these things.

And what's more he never physically attacked things when he was angry. When he was angry or upset he usually shouted and screamed, he never turned violent like this. This was insane, this was terrifying ... he gasped softly. This was the wolf. He quickly struggled to his fist, slipping on the sheets from the bed he had thrown to the floor; tears fell from his face as he searched for a pen and paper. His owl, which he couldn't see at the moment, would be around somewhere. It wouldn't have let him hurt her; she would have flown off at the mere gesture of violence towards her.

He finally found a quill by tripping over it and the ink pot was a few metres away. He righted the table in the dining room and dipped the quill in the ink, writing hurriedly. That had been the first time he'd ever felt the wolf so strong, so terrifying. He wrote as though his life depended on it, desperate to get his message away to Remus Lupin before something else happened that would trigger the wolf.

He wasn't really sure what he wrote; he put it all down in a stream of tears and blood. Tears he hadn't bothered to stop dripped from eyes, and blood from his untreated hand dripped onto the page as well, making a right mess of it. He couldn't help but cry. It was the first time that had happened to him and honestly, it was the strangest thing next to being bitten. He knew why he'd gone into the rage but most of it he couldn't remember and when he'd snapped out of it because of his hand, Kenneth felt like he'd just woken up from sleep. He sniffed once more, not bothering to place the letter in an envelope.

His owl hopped towards him, shyly at first and extended her leg ready to take the parchment he'd written on. Owls were good like that, his was anyway. She was always shy but never refused to deliver and never got snappy at him. She did her job and she did it quickly. Kenneth's hands were shaking far too much for him to tie the letter to her outstretched leg and she eventually (after he tried three times) got sick of this and snatched the letter from his quaking hands in her beak and flew off, out the open window and veered a sharp left towards the older werewolf.

He remained seated, just waiting.

Ten minutes later a flash upset him, blinding his eyes it was like he'd been staring at the sun. He whimpered and covered his eyes with his hand. The noise of Apparition never bothered him in the past because he was usually around wizards and witches so talented at it that he never heard a peep but he heard a deafening bang that left his eyes ringing and drew his hands away from his eyes and to his ears.

He couldn't stop himself from crying out from the sharpness of the noise. He felt a tingling fear that Lupin had Splinched himself badly and from the amount of noise, there was no other explanation. He was stopped short of running towards the man to see if he was ok because the delicious smell of chocolate overwhelmed his senses and he couldn't think straight. His body suddenly became chocolate, he couldn't smell anything else.

Remus Lupin smelt delectably of sweet warm chocolate. He crashed to the floor, the light of the Apparition still fierce in his eyes, his ears still ringing a merry tune, and the smell of chocolate strong in his noise. He was only faintly aware of the tears running pathetically down his face and an arm slithering around his shoulders.

'Kenneth?' Lupin asked him kindly. 'Kenneth,' he repeated. Even his breath and clothing smelt of chocolate. 'Kenneth, hush. What happened? Tell me what happened.' He was speaking with more tone to his voice and Kenneth choked back his tears, recognizing some kind of authority in Lupin's voice and tried to squeak out what happened.

'Flash,' he murmured quietly as he gulped down air and starting with the most recent events. 'Really loud noise, you haven't Splinched? Sounded like it,' he said when Lupin said no. 'It was so loud. And you, you smell like chocolate, I can't get your smell out of my head.' He groaned loudly and grabbed at his hair like he was trying to pull the smell from his head.

'Normal, it's all normal,' said Lupin. Kenneth felt arms tighten around him. Lupin didn't just sound calm, he felt calm too. 'Don't panic, it's all normal. Your senses are heightened. It's the only perk of being a werewolf; everything is so much clearer and defined.'

'It hurt,' Kenneth whimpered. 'Hurt so badly.' He let his arms fall from his hair loosely.

'You are fine now,' Lupin assured him as he stroked his hair like one would when comforting a lover. 'It won't always be like that. The senses will drop down so it doesn't hurt whenever you hear a noise or see something bright. They will calm down and it will go back to being slightly more than normal. Your new senses have come through at exactly the right time. They usually show about a week after the bite.' Lupin let out a soft breathe right in his ear that made Kenneth shiver as it seemed like he felt it everywhere, not just the hot breath on his neck, but he felt the hot breathe everywhere. 'It will calm down,' repeated Lupin.

'I – ah, I ruined my home,' Kenneth said blearily. 'It just happened. I was upset and it just went spiralling out of control. I can only remember flipping the table, breaking the chairs and pushing the bookshelf over. And I cut my hand.' He lifted his hand to show Lupin. 'I think that snapped me out of it, and I can't even remember getting to where I came too. I was just in my bedroom with my hand bleeding. Everything was wrecked, I don't know.' He shook his head miserably.

'Can you remember why you were upset?' said Lupin.

'I was angry,' Kenneth corrected. 'The Ministry, I destroyed the letter, I remember that. The Ministry sent me that letter.' He croaked, clearing his throat. 'I have ... nothing anymore. They can take it all away from me with stupid reasons! I'm not different from anyone else! I can't help it! It's not fair! They've taken my job from me, and it's so hard to get another one! Fucking Dolores Umbridge! They can take everything from me just because I'm dangerous. And I am. It's true. Look what I did!'

'I know it's not fair,' Lupin said to him. 'I know it's not. But they do it because they can! The Ministry does that since other werewolves give them reason too, like Fenrir Greyback. There's nothing fair about it, but they do it nonetheless. If werewolves like Greyback didn't run feral like they owned the place, the Ministry wouldn't be so hard on the rest of us. There has always been a werewolf like Greyback who keeps the Ministry on their toes, who keeps the restrictions in place. It's just how it is, Kenneth. Shh,' he added with Kenneth spluttered with tears again. 'It's not fair, I know. It wasn't fair that you were bitten. You're so young.'

'Twenty-four,' Kenneth muttered into the man's neck as Lupin had pulled him into a tighter hug. 'You know so much, when were you bit?'

'I was attacked as a child.'

'That's not fair.' Kenneth shook his head. 'That's not fair.'

'We are both old enough to know that life isn't fair and will never be fair,' Lupin said somewhat heartedly, and Kenneth smiled and let out a slight chuckle. Lupin rose to his feet pulling Kenneth up with him. Kenneth nearly staggered over but the older werewolf caught him around the waist and steadied him. 'Where is your wand?'

'I don't know.' Kenneth, now standing, was able to see the damage he'd caused clearly.

Everything was in a right mess, and he'd been sitting in the only chair that wasn't broken in the house. Books were strewn across the floor from the study, pages were ripped out, splintered wood was scattered all through his house, a window was smashed and all the curtains were shredded. Sponge from the centre of the couch was erupting out from the cushions and it looked like he'd had a real tussle with one as the foamy sponge was spread all across the kitchen floor. He stumbled over broken chair legs and those reminded him of how he'd thrown the chair legs through the wall and lead him to turn to see his dividing wall absolutely ruined with holes and the door smashed down.

'I did this,' he said sourly.

'It was the wolf,' Lupin said while he drew his wand from wherever he kept it on his person and cast a complicated cleaning spell. In a blast it returned the room to normal, and everything was in its rightful place. The wall had been repaired, but his hand was still leaking blood.

'Thank you,' Kenneth murmured gesturing around at the now tidy house and Lupin shrugged guiding him to the couch where he sat the exhausted young man down and quickly followed himself. 'I'm sorry I sent you the owl, I just didn't know who else to go to help. The Ministry probably would have sent a squad, and I'd be in Azkaban right now.' He felt Lupin gingerly touching his hand, inspecting the cut.

'You were right to owl me,' Lupin said. 'Anyone else would have been terrified by the sight; I imagine you would have looked very wolfish. I don't mind helping you; I know what it's like not knowing what's going to happen next. I had to figure out half of these things by myself. It was like a long extended phase of puberty,' he said and laughed. Kenneth grinned. 'But I am glad to help you.' Lupin looked up at him, still holding his hand in his. 'Did you try and push the wolf away?' he asked. 'I'm not trying to sound like I am criticising you, I just want to know what you tried.'

Kenneth nodded. 'I understand. I think I felt it earlier, and I brushed that aside, but when I did that,' he said meaning the destruction of the house, 'I don't think I tried at all. It just happened in such a rush, I don't think I could have controlled it if I tried.'

'You would have been able to,' said Lupin kindly. 'It takes time and practise, you'll get it. Don't worry, everything will come into place.'

Kenneth nodded, accepting Lupin's words. 'What about those senses?' he asked. 'Everything's dropped down now but you still smell so strongly.'

'Of chocolate still, I hope.'

Kenneth laughed and grinned. 'Still of chocolate. I can't get your smell away, it just stays even though my ears have stopped ringing and my hearts don't heart, I can still smell you really strongly.'

'I don't know,' said Lupin truthfully. 'Maybe I smell that strongly normally or maybe,' he paused and blushed a little giving Kenneth the impression it was something he didn't do often. 'Maybe you want to smell me. But the senses go down, they will go down. They'll return to normal with just a bit more strength in no time, usually after the first full moon and they might be a bit erratic until you start to control the wolf.'

'That was horrible,' Kenneth muttered. 'I felt like I had no control over myself when I did it.' Lupin placed a comforting arm around his shoulders again.

'It could have been worse,' the werewolf said matching the quiet of Kenneth's voice. 'The wolf may have wanted to hurt or maim something or someone. The new wolf is always so strong, Kenneth. It will want you to hurt people if you don't sort it out. I have trouble controlling it when I get angry and upset even though I've had practise since I was a child. It's hard to live with, but you just have to.'

'I won't let it.' Kenneth smiled as Lupin returned his attentions to his still bleeding hand.

'Are you much of a healer?' Lupin asked him. 'Because I could heal this for you, it will just leave a bit of scar since I'm not perfect at it, but if you let it heal naturally the scar will be bigger.'

'I can't heal very well. My brother is good at it, but I'm not.'

'I'll do it for you then.'

'I – uh, ow,' Kenneth yelped as Lupin touched his cut.

'Sorry,' Lupin said and smiled softly.

'It's ok.'

'You were saying?'

'Oh, yes. I thought about what you said back at the hospital about finding somewhere to stay during the full moon with no people around, and I've rented a place up in Wales, right in the middle of countryside to stay at during the time.'

'That is a good idea.'

'Where do you go?'

'I never stay in one place longer than one moon. I move somewhere different each new moon, otherwise I tend to create urban legends. Have you heard of the Shrieking Shake in Hogsmeade?'

'Yeah, of course I have.'

'That was me.'

Kenneth blinked and stared and Remus. 'Are you serious?' he asked, shocked. And when the nodded, he chuckled. 'No ghouls, no ghosts or anything? That was you all along? You made all that noise.'

'From the pain,' Lupin said as he stared intently at Kenneth's hand picked up his wand dangling it a few centimetres above his palm. 'It isn't at all pleasant.'

'I didn't think for a second it would be.'

'It's painful,' Lupin went on to say. 'I don't want to scare you, but it is painful.'  
Kenneth sighed in a joke like fashion. 'Something I'll learn to live with as well, I'm guessing?'

'You'll have to.'

'Where are you going to be for this full moon?' Kenneth asked suddenly and was surprised at himself, the question hadn't even crossed his mind before he blurted it out.

He wanted Lupin to be near him during the full moon because it was his first and the man knew a lot more than he did about the way werewolves worked. He'd feel a great deal safer before hand and it would give the two of them time to talk and Lupin could school Kenneth on what more he should know before. And if anything happened to him during the full moon, Lupin would be able to help him afterwards, and Kenneth would be able to help him if anything happened to him.

'I haven't decided.'

'The house I've rented in Wales is more of a Villa,' he said and caught Lupin raising an eyebrow at him. 'I thought I deserved something nice. But anyway, it's big enough for the two of us and if there were two of us putting up the wards we could have more room to ... uh, do whatever we do during the full moon. So, if you want some company, I've got a place.'

'Is it safe?' Lupin asked quickly. 'Well away from any towns or other houses?'

'It's surrounded by twenty-eight acres of farm on all sides. There's nothing for miles.'

Lupin cracked a small smile. 'I'd like that. Moony hasn't had company for a long time.'

'Moony?'

'My friends nicknamed my wolf when we were at Hogwarts.'

'Oh,' Kenneth said, surprised yet again. 'I thought if you named things you ended up becoming emotionally attached to them.' He was joking a little and Lupin saw that and smiled back.

'Generally, yes,' he said. 'When are you leaving for Wales?'

'Tomorrow morning probably, late morning,' he added swiftly.

'But that's about a week until the full moon.'

'Yeah, but I haven't got anything better to do here. I've lost my job.'

Lupin patted his comfortingly on the shoulder and smiled shortly. 'Maybe getting away for a bit would do you good. I'd love to take you up on your offer, thank you. I'll probably arrive closer to the date. Is there an Apparition spot near there?'

'There's one quite a way away, but it's wired to the Floo connection. A wizard rents it out. It's called Blue Cherry House.'

'Strange name, are there blueberries near it?'

'I'm not sure, with a name like that there has to be or the house is painted like a blue cherry, but in that case I'm not sure if I'd want to stay there. Too much blue,' he said sheepishly when Lupin shot him an inquisitive look.

'Well,' Lupin said with a shrug and a yawn. 'Blue Cherry House it is, blue or otherwise, it sounds ideal for two werewolves.'

* * *

**hint **I love feedback **/hint  
**I hope you enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the other chapters and the rest of the story!


	3. Weather With You

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title:** Weather With You

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. Hell, I probably don't even own the words I used to write this.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Guy Again! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

I have also, recently, changed my pen-name from Captain Spag. to Ferosh. so this still is me, just new name.

* * *

The weather when Kenneth had arrived bags and all was doing a typical Welsh thing. It was raining, yet it was warm, warm rain. The rain wasn't coming down hard either; it was just sprinkling down on the ground and on Kenneth who found this type of indecisive weather irritating. He was the type of man who liked the weather to decide what it was doing and stick to that plan until the next lot of weather came through. Today the weather couldn't decide whether it wanted to rain properly or stop all together and let the sun come out, which was continuously peeking through the clouds. The landscape around the house suited the weather fittingly.

The weather made for a slightly depressing feel to the day and the hills gave off that feeling of happy-sad. Happy-sad was the mood that encourages the wistful, dreamy smile on your face. The type of smile you get when you're dreaming of something you know will never happen. Like a dream that's a million light-years away. The Welsh landscape around the house was hilly and mountainous as was normal for mid Wales.

The Blue Cherry House was on the border of a national park, on the border of Brecon Beacons to be exact. It was placed in such an area that someone would have to be significantly lost to find it. There were already wards around the house, and it was obviously protected well, but Kenneth wanted to put up more wards for the full moon. It was his first time and he couldn't afford for anything to go wrong. Lupin would be with him but still, his nerves were steadily climbing higher and higher as it approached. He was glad the house had a calming feeling through it.

The Blue Cherry House itself wasn't blue and Kenneth had not asked the owner why it was named that. The outside was painted a creamy white colour that tipped off the coal black roof. The entrance to the house was across a porch with a black railing surrounding it to match the roof. There was an entrance way, wide and fat where coats could be hung and bags could be dropped at need. A door from the small yet fat entrance hall lead off into a wide hallway from which a grand room that seemed to just be home to a fireplace and a single armchair came off without the use of the door. But only through that room could you get into the overflowing library with every book you could imagine in the room.

The library housed more furniture then just a single chair and had two leather couches – quite a Muggle thing – facing each other with a low table between them and spread out invitingly on that were all the latest Wizarding magazines. The walls of the library were covered in bookshelves and there was simply no way to exit the room apart from the single door that lead back into the fireplace room. There weren't even windows in the room and it was lit up ever burning candles that emitted a spooky blue light. Opposite from the fireplace room was a proper lounge. It was decorated with pictures of the house through the ages.

The first picture was when the house had just been built. It had been the inn of a new Wizarding village primarily filled with Potion makers using the area of Brecon Beacons to acquire potion ingredients – or so the caption said. In each picture the number of wizards and witches moving around in it lessened and lessened, and the picture for the decade they were currently in only had the lonely house and the owner waving from the porch. It was a sad story, but no one was really clear on why the villagers left and demolished their houses before they did, and those going back in time had never bothering to stop by and ask why they left only one house behind.

Next to this room was the kitchen and directly next to that was the dining room with a grand, grand table just packed with elegance. At the end of the corridor was a set of staircases that led up to the bathrooms and the bedrooms of which there was plenty as it had once been an inn. Kenneth placed his bags in second best of them, wanting Lupin to have the best, which was a double bed with hangings and an excellent view of the surrounding area outside.

Waiting for the full moon to arrive was an unnerving experience, but what unnerved him more was waiting for Remus Lupin. He realized that both of them knew very little about each other and Kenneth wanted to change that before the full moon. It didn't seem right to put his life in the hands of someone he didn't know so well. He hoped Remus Lupin would want to talk about his life because that could make for a very awkward couple of days. Kenneth hoped there would be a friendship from all of this; it would be mind boggling if there was not one seeing as Remus had already taken time out from his own life to help Kenneth through this.

If Remus had not been so courteous and kind to him what had happened the other day where he'd owled Remus after the wolf had shown for the first time could have been an embarrassing thing for the both of them. But it wasn't. Remus understood the pain and fear Kenneth was constantly experiencing at the moment, and until he got grips around his lycanthropy, he'd like for Remus to continue to be his mentor as he had already kind of become. Kenneth liked the man, and he couldn't help but notice that the older werewolf was attractive and from the extra unessential touches the man dotted upon him, he was pretty sure that Remus found him attractive too.

He'd have to ask about the man's personal life to see how deeply being a werewolf played in that. He had thought about that and wondered about wizards and witches thoughts about being involved with a werewolf. Some would find it exciting and others would never look him in the face. He hoped he wouldn't be limited to being with other werewolves for the rest of his life as it might play out but only if Remus didn't want him. He wouldn't push it, just let it evolve like any other relationship and see what happened. Time always managed to deal with things in a positive way, as long as there was enough of it.

The house was really quite a depressing place when there was only one person in it. And the fact that Kenneth kept hearing every little noise and jumping ten feet high when he did was not helping his growing nerves. There were all sorts of noises around the house, cooing of birds from outside, the scurry of mice in the larder, and he'd have to have a word to the owner about that: he proudly stated his house was mice free.

Kenneth wasn't sure if he was hearing these things because he was straining his ears to hear something that would really give him a fright and tip him over the edge or if he was hearing them because he could. His new senses hadn't come back like they had the day when Remus had come around to his house on request to comfort him after the wolf had come through for the first time since the shaking at the hospital. But they hadn't come back as far as he was aware.

Remus had said they'd probably even out after the first full moon yet he had also given hints that he was just going off his own experiences and that many were different. The man must have a very good memory to remember what had happened to him as a child, but then again people don't usually forget horrific times. Surely the lines between what really happened and what their mind has morphed for them due to some forgetfulness might blur a little but Kenneth had no doubt that Remus knew what he was talking about. He trusted him. For the time being, until Remus arrived, he'd just have to keep his senses down, try as best he could anyway, and stay calm if the wolf showed.

Bed was a safe place, even if it wasn't his own familiar bed; it was still a safe place. He curled under the heavy blankets set for the Welsh winter and pushed away some of the heavier ones: he'd always detested being too hot. Once the bed was warm or cold enough to his liking, he snuggled back under the blankets resting his head with a thump on the pillow and groaning at the palatability of soft bed. He wondered dreamily what the bed in the master bedroom would be like as this one was so soft and comfortable. The bed in the master room must be like it had floated down from Mount Olympus itself.

He'd left that for Remus on the grounds that it was polite and because the bags under the older werewolf's eyes showed that he could definitely use a good long sleep on a good bed for once. He'd had a peek into that room before deciding it should be for Remus. That room had a bathroom and everything, plus beautiful views of the Brecon Beacons Park. He'd never been here before.

He'd been to Wales but not to Brecon Beacons and he had always had wanted to. His relatives in Wales were a boring lot, and when he'd visited them the last time he hadn't been old enough to take himself to where he wanted to go. If he tried to visit them now he was sure they'd turn him out because as much as his mother was probably afraid of him right now, she was a gossiper at heart and had most likely told all the family already. Kenneth didn't care much, he'd always been on better terms with his father even though his old man found it slightly uncomfortable that Kenneth went with the way of the Wizarding world and didn't let gender bother him much.

His father was a Muggle and didn't really understand the whole gender isn't an issue stance the magical world held. Kenneth liked that, it wasn't mentioned much, but no one cared who you did what with whom and who you married or fell in love with. It wasn't a matter that was spoken about much because no one seemed to care about what sexuality you were like they did in the Muggle world. Kenneth liked that as it meant he could flirt with whomever he pleased. It was strange that the Muggle world wasn't like that.

He rolled over in the bed with a low grunt. Sleeping didn't seem to be working very well. Just as he thought he was on the brink another interesting idea crossed his mind and he simply had to spend a few more minutes pondering that and that idea usually led onto another and another. Kenneth groaned. He slipped from the bed, running a lazy hand through his already tousled hair. What it his imagination, or was his hair that usually sat quite neatly upon his head matter what activities he engaged becoming shaggier by the second? He shrugged and pulled on his pants that he had left discarded by the bed before he'd climbed in, in need of some sleep that never came. He ignored his forlorn shoes at the foot of the bed, kicked off like the blankets he didn't want.

Outside the air was freezing cold and the air was a lot darker than it had been when he'd arrived and made his way through the house, poking around. It made him wonder if he possibly had been to sleep. Kenneth inhaled deeply, the cold air stinging his noise almost painfully. The air felt colder in his lungs as he held there, relishing the white fog of condensation as he let it flow out. He sniggered as he let it flow out, slowly, letting himself feel the sting of cold as it went. All that did was make him sneeze. The sneeze was followed by another which was then followed by a short burst of laughter. Kenneth continued to laugh to himself as he jogged down off the porch and onto the stone path that led up to the house from god knows where. The stones hurt his feet, digging sharply into the soft soles. Wincing, he quickly jumped from the path to the soft grass on the side of it, sighing and giggling again as his feet touched soft lush grass.

'I'm a fucking werewolf,' he sniggered to himself. 'Who would have thought? Not in a million years ...' He stopped himself and laughed again.

There was little left to do apart from laugh about it. There was no cure for lycanthropy, only the slight buffer that was Wolfsbane, but that only really worked if you'd been taking it for months and required a lot of potion ingredients which were expensive. Kenneth was no good at potions. The hospital had given him only two bottles. He sniggered. Two bottles, cheers guys and gals.

He had a modest amount of money in the bank, but that could never pay for a constant supply of Wolfsbane if he was expected to live and eat for the rest of his life. He'd have trouble finding a job. He'd simply have to though. Life depended on a solid income. He had money, savings, but the trouble was that had been saved for a reason, and he didn't like to spend that savings. Kenneth knew he'd have to until he found a job. There'd be someone out there who wasn't werewolf phobic. He laughed to himself again and proceeded to walk along the thick log lying innocently in the grass. His bare feet stumbled along the rotting wood, but it didn't break under his weight. Kenneth jumped off the log and kicked at it roughly.

He sighed irritably, all the laughter gone. Thinking about losing his job often put him back in a foul mood. He kicked lamely at a pile of dead leaves and smiled briefly when some soared up into the air. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks. It was like his mind had cracked. He snarled and sniffed at the air. The area was full of unknown smells, smells he didn't like. The first smell that reached his nose was the smell of decay. Probably some pile of dead creatures rotting somewhere. He gave a disgusted little snort and turned his nose away from that direction. Where was the smell he liked? That sweet chocolate smell he'd been able to sense for the past few days was nowhere. He couldn't smell it all. He was suddenly at a loss to where that smell had originated from in the first place and he snorted with indignation.

He'd liked that smell, he'd like it a lot, and now he could no longer smell it at all. The person or thing giving off that deep sweet smell was not near him at all. Kenneth growled in a disgruntled fashion. Jerkily, he leapt forward without giving his brain time to process what he was doing after something scurrying through the undergrowth.

Kenneth found himself running haphazardly through a miniature forest at the base of a grassy hill. A part of him knew he should stay away from that hill as it was covered in bare grassy and anyone could possibly see him from another, even though there was supposed to be no one around for miles and miles. He wanted to follow what he'd been chasing as it veered off to hurtle up the hill. His body tried to go one way and his mind wanted to go the other. He yelped loudly and whimpered when his back connected heavily with a trunk of a tree.

He slipped down to the soft grass mixed with dirt and tugged some grass out with his hands. Panting heavily, Kenneth decided to decipher what had just occurred. He'd started to think of smells and became irritated when he couldn't smell the chocolate scent of Remus Lupin. It had happened when he kicked the leaves up and it was like his mind had broken completely and let something else through for a split second before he had tried to fight it and ended up with his back against the tree. And then back to normal. He shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself.

Too weird, to keep losing himself like that was too weird. But this time hadn't been so bad, and he'd managed to fight it and return to normal as quick as chips. He could fight it, he knew that he could. He always just had to snap himself out of it but he hadn't learned to stop the wolf before it came through.

He pulled himself to his feet and began an unsteady walk back to the house. It hadn't been terrifying like the first experience he'd had with the wolf. It had been far from that. It had kind of been interesting to see what the wolf wanted. It was very interesting to see how agitated it had become when it couldn't smell Remus. He smiled a little to himself as he wandered back only the path he'd sprinted along minutes earlier, that was very interesting.

A gently tap on his arm awoke him and he jolted from his sleep, nearly tipping the chair over from shock. He craned around to look for whoever or whatever had woken him, everything on high alert. He calmed instantly as a wave of chocolate reached his nose and his eyes settled on the older werewolf standing before the chair looking rather bemused. The smell of Floo powder was in the air also and a green wave still hung around the fireplace. Remus had just arrived, looking rather tousled but wearing nicer and newer robes then when Kenneth had seen him for the first two times. He yawned as Remus placed his small bag down on the floor and smiled at him.

'I thought you weren't coming for a few more days, closer to the moon,' murmured Kenneth as he stretched and tried to awake himself properly. 'What time is it?' he asked looking around for a clock in the room and finding none.

'Just past midnight, sorry for coming so late, I had a break and decided I'd come now. I should have owled ahead.'  
'No, it's fine. It's only a couple of days away anyway.'

'No wolf?' Remus asked him somewhat inelegantly.

'The other day, but that was all. It wasn't that bad at all. I was outside, and it just got irritated when it couldn't smell something it wanted to smell,' said Kenneth biting on his bottom lip deciding there were something's that should just be kept to yourself for the meantime.

'You haven't had the need to kill anything have you?' Remus asked nervously. Kenneth shook his head.

'Not really, no. I chased something, though. I don't know what it is was but it moved, and I chased it.'

'Normal,' said Remus softly but definitely. 'Werewolves, like dogs, I suppose, like to chase things. And if you catch it, you'll probably just play with it if it's not a full moon. Full moon and you'll generally kill it, human or not. Unlike Vampires we won't eat it or suck its blood, we just kill.'

'Have you ever ...?'

'Rabbits and hares quite a lot. Sometimes the occasional fox but nothing big, and I haven't done it in a long time.' Kenneth nodded as he said this.  
'So, I will?'

'Until you control the wolf, you will probably. Just make sure it's nothing larger than a fox because then you feel guilty. And the Ministry had a fit last year when a werewolf lost control and killed some livestock.'

'Always comes back to what the Ministry wants, doesn't it?'

'Often, yes,' said Remus with a yawn.

'Tired?' he asked stepping out from the chair and picking up Lupin's bag. The werewolf nodded slightly. 'Your rooms up here,' said Kenneth and he led the way. He walked up the stairs with Remus close behind him and stopped suddenly. 'Do your parents still speak to you?' he asked softly.

Remus shook his head. 'They are dead.'

'Oh, I'm sorry.'

'It's ok. I'm sure if they were still alive they would.' Lupin quickly changed the subject. 'How have your parents been with this?'

'Terrible,' Kenneth said with a snort. 'Neither of them will come near me now, they won't come near me since they heard the news. But I don't really care. As far as I'm concerned they can shove it up-'

'- is this my room?' Remus asked cutting Kenneth off as they came to the end of the corridor upstairs and ground to a halt. Remus looked faintly please as Kenneth nodded yes and he took his bag from his fingers and placed it on the bed. 'Thank you,' he said. 'I haven't had time to think about where I would be staying during the full moon recently. This has saved me a lot of hassle.'

'It's no problem. Two of a kind should stick together, right?' Kenneth swayed by the door for a second and Remus looked back at him expectantly which spurred Kenneth awkwardly into saying exactly what smell his wolf had missed. 'Remus,' he said. 'I got irritated before because I couldn't smell you.' He laughed nervously and pushed his hair out of his face. 'Uh, it missed you. I think the wolf missed you.'

Lupin's eyes widened and he blinked twice before smiling just as apprehensively as Kenneth. 'It's always nice to be missed,' he said.

* * *

**hint **I love feedback **/hint  
**I hope you enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the other chapters and the rest of the story!


	4. Dusk 'Till Dawn

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title:** Dusk 'Till Dawn

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. Hell, I probably don't even own the words I used to write this.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Guy Again! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

I have also, recently, changed my pen-name from Captain Spag. to Ferosh. so this still is me, just new name.

* * *

'You didn't?' Kenneth asked Remus, shocked as he set down his spoon to stare intrusively at the werewolf. 'Seriously, you did that?' He broke his questioning front and laughed heartedly. 'I can imagine the look on their faces when they found the pair of you.'

'That's what we did when he wasn't terrorizing Snape. Though, things have taken quite a different turn now,' Remus said licking his lips as he devoured another pancake that he'd expertly made. 'Professor Snape makes my Wolfsbane now; I have to be on good terms with him.'

'Much to your annoyance,' said Kenneth with a grin.

'Much to both of our annoyances, I think. But the potion is good and means that I must now behave around him, or I won't get it,' Remus said with a sigh. 'Are you thinking about using the Wolfsbane?'

'Doesn't it take a long time to work, though?'

'Yes, several months. I have been using it long enough to retain some of my human mind during the transformations. I can remember what happens on occasions. Some don't like using it; they don't like to know what happens during the full moon because it is awful.'

'But you don't mind?'

'I'd rather hold onto myself then be something that I don't want to be,' Lupin coughed and straightened up in his chair as he cut up the last of his pancake and looked up thoughtfully at Kenneth who did little to stop himself from blushing. 'I've never liked being a werewolf. It's hard to enjoy it. Only those like Fenrir Greyback do. You'd have to be sadistic and masochistic to like it. I never asked; do you know who bit you?'

Kenneth resisted the urge to pull Remus into a big hug after the depressing and saddening way he talked about being a werewolf. They were all defined like that even if they hadn't transformed, in human form they were all still werewolves. 'Uh, no,' he said while toying with his spoon. 'I don't. But who else would be in a London suburb on the night of a full moon apart from Greyback?'

'No one else would risk it, unless there's someone else. You never know who Voldemort finds.' Kenneth shuddered. 'Greyback could have easily changed someone just as ruthless as he on the orders of Voldemort. Merlin, it's awful. Did you offend him in anyway?' Remus asked looking seriously at Kenneth who shook his head, startled at how easily Remus spoke You-Know-Who's name.

'Not that I'm aware.'

'My father offended Greyback, I can't remember what he did, but that was why he bit me, to get back at my father.'

'He took out his revenge on you rather than on your father? That's bloody disgusting!' Kenneth said firmly. 'He took it out on you as a kid not your father! Who would do something like that? That's why we all have such a fucking bad persona because people like Greyback do things like that,' He slammed his fist down on the table making Remus jump and shook his head madly. 'How are people expected to live with this?' he moaned. 'Fuck, I'm only twenty-four. I had a life ahead of me, now I don't. It's all gone. How have you? You've had this nearly all your life, but you cope. How do you cope?'

He hadn't seen Remus rising from his chair or cross around the table to reach him. He felt him slip his arms around his shoulders and smelt the chocolate smell that seemed to cover him completely. Kenneth had his hands pressed over his face and his elbows leaning against the table, daring the tears to come. He wasn't sure if he was more angry or upset.

'I cope just fine,' Lupin told him gently. 'You will too, Kenneth. It'll be fine.'

'How do you even know that?' Kenneth snapped. 'I've got my first full moon and then one every month for the rest of my life in a few days time. And I have the wolf to sort out. I'm a werewolf, how worse can it get?' He looked briefly up at Remus who suddenly stepped back from him and crossed his arms shaking his head quietly.

'Listen to me,' he said leaning close to Kenneth but not touching him. 'You will be fine, and I know you will be fine. I've dealt with this nearly my entire life, and I know it's not the same as having a normal life but I have friends and people I love and care about me. I'm lucky, I'm so lucky. Don't say everyone has left you because they haven't. Your family and friends may not be talking to you now, but the ones who really love you will come around. I know what happened to you isn't fair. You are young, but it's not fair on anyone who has this, and you just have to cope. You'll learn. It's hard at first, everything is, but you'll learn. You have to. I'll help you, too, don't worry. You won't be entirely alone.'

Kenneth peeked out from between his fingers that still covered his eyes.

'Did you hear me?' Remus asked him.

'Yes,' Kenneth said barely.

'Good, don't ever think you're below anyone. The Ministry might say you are, but you're just the same as everyone else.'

'Except that I turn into a monster every full moon.'

For a second Remus looked like he was going to slap him, but instead he uncrossed his arms and sat in the vacant chair next to him and put his arm back around his shoulders. 'You shouldn't say that. You don't know if you're a monster yet. Everyone is different.'

'I'm sorry,' Kenneth said trying to sound a little more pleasant. 'It must be awful for you when I say things like that. I mean you're the one who's had to deal with it all their life. What do I know, I'm new to this? But I sit her complaining, pissing and moaning about everything that you've known for years, and I'm sorry. I'll try to be a bit more ... general about it because it ain't just me, is it? It's the lot of us. We should make a werewolf community.'

'Really?' asked Remus sounding very amused at this stage.

'Yeah, it'd be great.'

'As a project for your spare time?'

'Well, I've got a lot of it so why not?' He smiled as Lupin squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

'You have every right to make a fuss about what has happened to you,' he murmured, 'just keep in mind what I said. Come on,' said Remus with a more cheery tone and offered his hand to Kenneth as he rose to his feet. 'Let's go put up the wards.'

Kenneth hugged his coat closer around himself and held his wand tightly in one hand as he and Remus walked through the grassy fields before the house that was surrounded by woodland. He sighed and spun around looking up at the moon that was so close to completion it scared him shitless.

The night was cold, and his breathe jutted out from him like an iceberg. The trees were buffeted by a faint wind, and he could hear their soft whispers as though he stood right beside them. Remus was a long distance away from him waving his wand around him setting the wards like a pro, and that was somewhat saddening. He was so good at this; he knew everything about it. The wind ruffled through his hair and stung at his eyes, so he tore them away from the older werewolf and fitted his gaze back up to the moon.

A few more days and it'd start. He didn't want it to start, oh no. The grass was spongy beneath his feet as he reshuffled his weight and continued to stare up at the bright, bright moon. It looked yellow tonight but the night before had been it had been a crystal white colour of perfection.

It had looked beautiful. Now it just looked spooky but it controlled so much about him, he, like the tides, was swayed by it. He wondered if he should start referring to it as a she as the peoples of old civilizations had. They'd worshipped the moon and seen her as a goddess. Of course not wizards and witches but the Muggle's of old times. They'd thought that the moon was a goddess and that the sun was a god. Kenneth was with them in a sense he'd be glad to see the sun after the night of the full moon. He surely wasn't going to start worshipping the moon anytime soon.

Rubbing his hands that he'd been clenched in tight fists, one around his wand, and the other balled up on itself, on his coat, he took one last long glance at the yellowish moon and ran forward to join back up with Remus. It was warmer as he ran, and soon he was beside Remus again, the man still casting away.

'Remus?' Kenneth asked as soon as he fell into step with him.

'Yes?'

'Is true that werewolves mate for life?'

Strangely, Remus snorted. 'Where did you hear that?'

'I think someone told me a long time ago, or I might have read it.'

The man shrugged before he answered like he didn't really believe it himself. 'Reputedly, yes. I myself have never had the honour of such an experience.'

'I think it would be nice,' Kenneth said and nodded when Remus looked at him. 'Yeah, nice, nice to always have someone and not having to worry about losing them. Though the sex would get boring after a while, but then again there are potions for that.'

'Changing the subject,' Remus said with a faint grin. 'You do know I'll be able to remember what happens on the full moon, well some anyway, because of the Wolfsbane potion.'

'What do you think will happen? Do you think we'll hurt each other?'

'Probably not. During a full moon if two werewolves come across each other they usually won't hurt each other if their human counterparts are in good terms. I'd say we are on good terms. It's really only thing those who haven't used Wolfsbane for long enough are able to retain – information about those who are the same as them. But if something does happen you'll easily overthrow me. You're a new werewolf, so it's a lot stronger than mine. To tell you the truth, Kenneth, I'm surprised the wolf hasn't come through more times than just the couple. So there's nothing to worry about if something does happen. I will make sure you don't hurt me, and I don't hurt you. Once transformed, a wolf generally forgets everything he or she knows apart from the ties it has made with those the same as him or her. It must have something to do with the senses and maybe a bit of knowledge that just slips through. But I've met a few werewolves I know during the change, and we didn't hurt each other at all, and that was before the Wolfsbane too.'

'How do you know, then?'

'They'd been taking Wolfsbane for quite some time and said I didn't try to attack them at all.'

'But you're so sweet, would you anyway?'

'I'm really self destructive during the change. That's why I have all these scars. I hurt myself because there was nothing else to hurt. I'm sure if I hadn't realized, I would have hurt them.'

'So, nothing like personality at all then? What you'll be like during the full moon, I mean.'

'It depends. Everyone's different. But just to be safe why don't you, uh, tell me a little bit about yourself.'

'As long as you promise to return the favour,' said Kenneth, smiling cockily at Remus who nodded. 'My mum always used to say that I wear my heart on my sleeve but I'm as tough as nails. I've certainly proved her wrong, sodding bitch.'

'You certainly say what you want, but I think you've handled this wonderfully.'

'Thank you!' Kenneth exclaimed and beamed at him trying to give Remus his best smile. 'But I have a bad temper even though it will take some doing to set it off, it's still there. Oh, you meant something about me? Not just personality, sorry. Uh, well, I was homeschooled even though I received a letter to go to Hogwarts my parents didn't want me to go there and neither did my brother so they decided to keep it in the family and educate me at home. It was awful, I learnt everything I needed to and passed all the exams that you would have through correspondence, but Merlin it was awful. It's just not right for teenagers to be around their parents that much. Naturally I left home as soon as I possibly could, after they'd taught me all they could, I mean. My brother liked being homeschooled, but he's always been a bit of a loner, so I wasn't surprised. But I hated it. I always wanted to get away and be with people. I've always liked to be around people even if I don't get along with them. It's just kind of comforting to know someone's around, you know? When I left home I moved in with some friends near Diagon Alley and did odd jobs for random employers for about two years until I got a permanent job at Gringotts helping foreign wizards and that's what they fired me from. Couldn't be assed going through all the guidelines and checks the Ministry has in place for a werewolf. I worked there for ages and now suddenly, it's no more. Just poof, it's gone,' He shrugged lifelessly, hoping his gesture showed that he didn't care. He knew Remus wasn't fooled, but the man didn't say anything. 'Your story?' he asked optimistically.

'Of course. I went to Hogwarts. It was difficult then. My parents weren't even sure if I'd be able to go, but Dumbledore assured them it would be fine, and no one would find out about my condition. The Whomping Willow – have you heard of it? - was built especially for me to spend my full moons in. It wasn't fun. I had to sneak around my friends, but I hid it from them very well for a long time. They figured it out on their own as well. James called it "my furry little problem" if he had to talk about it in public which he didn't much. And, of course, everything I told you about this morning happened during my years as a student there. Hogwarts was great, and when I left it was hard to get a job though I passed every exam with flying colours. I had several very hard years and had to spend a lot of time with friends as I kept trying to get jobs. Then I worked that year at Hogwarts as Dumbledore invited me to come back. I'm sure you heard about that, didn't you? When the parents found out it was awful, absolutely shocking. I had to leave. There was no way I could stay on after I'd transformed and endangered the lives of three students plus the legendary Potions Master,' He sighed deeply. 'I've been working on something else ever since.'

'What do you do now?' Kenneth asked. 'Your job?' he added when Remus looked at him confused, as if he hadn't heard the question and had been milling back over lost days that he'd never be able to relive, like he'd suddenly thought life was going far too quickly for him, and he needed something to grab on to and hold.

'I can't tell you,' Remus said bluntly.

'Why not?' Kenneth said and added a snort of indignation. 'It's not anything illegal, is it?'

'Definitely not. I'm working on something for Dumbledore again, top secret, and I can't say a word about it.'

'Not even a syllable?'

'No.'

'A couple of antonyms? I could guess from there.'

'No, I'm sorry, Kenneth.'

'It's alright,' he said and looked over to where Remus lazily flicked his wand. 'Have you finished all your wards, your side, already?'

'I was doing it while we talked, not that I wasn't interested. I can multitask,' Remus said and leaned into Kenneth so slightly neither man noticed the distance closing between them.

'Unlike most men,' joked Kenneth easily. 'I haven't even really started my side. I did a few metres right back when we started, but I got sidetracked. I never used to think about it or really even take the time out to look at it, but the moon is really beautiful.'

'Isn't it just? It has complete control over our lives,' Lupin said wistfully and stopped looking up at the moon himself, gaining a very similar expression that Kenneth had held when he looked at it, too. It made the younger man wonder if Lupin's thoughts were really the same as his.

'You sound like you trust it,' Kenneth, said ending his footsteps, so he stopped beside Remus and looked up as well.

The moon wasn't any different than it had looked before. Light puffy clouds had swirled over to cover the bottom half of the orb hanging in the sky, but that didn't stop the intensity of it reaching his eyes. It really was beautiful, stunning even. The goddess who represented the moon in the old cultures must have been beautiful if she looked anything like the moon.

He would even risk a Time Turner if he could rest his eyes on her or a representation of her just once. The clouds covering half of the moon seemed to have only prompted it to try and spill out more light across the land. The yellowy glow had settled across Remus' and his own skin giving them a strange glowing yellow tinge as well as the grass around them that had been sprinkled with rain earlier. The colour of the moon reflected off these tiny droplets of water. It gave the land around Blue Cherry House an eerie feel, but it was hard to tear his eyes away from the splendour of it all and the moon at the centre.

'I could start it here,' Kenneth said.

'Start what?'

'The werewolf community,' he whispered as he felt for some reason that he should in the presence of this moon. 'Did you see the pictures in the longue of the town before it just stopped to exist?'

He felt Remus shake his head.

'Blue Cherry House used to be the old inn here, and there was quite a small town here once. For potion makers primarily, the pictures captions said something about there being a good supply of ingredients around here. But it would be a good place. It's well out of anyone's way.'

'The Ministry would never allow it. They don't like mass gatherings of what they presume dangerous creatures. It must scare them; they know they've basically stripped us of our rights so as soon as there are more than five of us in a room together they must think we are plotting. I'd be paranoid, too, with all this extra madness going on.'

'You mean the supposed return of You-Know-Who?'

'It's true. What Harry Potter said happened actually did.'

'You believe him?'

'I trust him; it is different.'

'You would have taught him. Do you think he's really going to live up to everyone's expectations?'

'He doesn't feel that he has any other choice. The world has handed him a shorter stick then any you or me have ever been given,' Remus crossed his arms and finally tore his eyes away from the moon and looked towards Kenneth. 'Do you think he's telling the truth?'

'I don't know. I don't know about Fudge either. I agree with what my "dearest daddy" thinks though. Fudge may be a bit beyond his expiration date. Too long on the job maybe. I hear being Minister is a sleep depriving position.'

'I would not be surprised,' Remus yawned and stretched in such a cute way, Kenneth really had trouble standing his ground. Did this man know how attractive he was? Kenneth's hands itched, and he was lucky when the man dropped his arms and glanced over at the area Kenneth was supposed to be warding off. 'If we don't do this side soon one of us could end up in Ireland before tomorrow night is over.'

'Really? We can make it that far in one night?'

'You wouldn't want to let yourself find out, let me tell you that,' Remus pulled his wand out again and gestured that Kenneth should do the same. 'Let's get this finished now.'

'Good idea. I'm planning on sitting and worrying about the full moon tomorrow evening, I even worked it into my schedule. A worrying day. It says so. I'll have no time for trivial spell casting.'

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**hint **I love feedback **/hint  
**I hope you enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the other chapters and the rest of the story!


	5. Doomsday

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Doomsday

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. Hell, I probably don't even own the words I used to write this.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Guy Again! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

I have also, recently, changed my pen-name from Captain Spag. to Ferosh. so this still is me, just new name.

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'Perhaps you should just try and relax,' Remus suggested easily from where he sat in the armchair. He sighed when Kenneth did just the opposite.

Kenneth was pacing in front of the fireplace, repetitively running his hands through his hair and retracing his steps back and forth before the grand stone fireplace. His bare feet walked over and over the wood that he'd just stepped across. And there was Remus Lupin sitting behind him, glancing up at every nervous sound Kenneth made, refusing to leave him. Kenneth hadn't asked him to leave**_,_** and he didn't want to ask him to leave. It was comforting to have someone sitting behind him and to have his eyes flash up at every groan or shocked whimper he made.

He could smell Remus' chocolaty smell from where he paced and had even contemplated just sitting beside him so the smell would be that much stronger. As dominant as it was in his senses, he wanted more**_,_** and he was unable to tell if he found that pathetic or a little bit cute on his part. The only thing that was able to buffet how Lupin's smell followed him was his nerves.

He'd jumped fifty feet high when an upstairs window had flung itself shut. It had been the only noise he'd heard in a while**_,_** but for some reason the smash reminded him of the ordeal that was only a few hours away. It made it a great deal better that Remus had promised not to leave him for a second. He was going to stay well through the night and well into the next day, he'd promised while they'd finished placing the wards around the area that they were going to use.

He knew a weaker person than him would have broken down at least fifty times this past day**_,_** but he hadn't. He'd been quite cheerful and would even go as far to describe himself as being jolly but then midday struck**_,_** and he became a wreck. He'd cried once already that day for a long time, shutting himself in the shower so he could try and pretend that his tears were just droplets of water. It hadn't worked.

He was glad to know that Remus didn't know he'd been crying as the man kept searching for a time when Kenneth would break. He'd been watching him constantly, apart from when he was showering, and Kenneth could sense he was nervous**_,_** too. Not for himself, Kenneth didn't think, for him, maybe but most likely what he'd have to do if Kenneth did freak out. But what Remus always kept telling him was that he had to learn to deal with this.

There was no cure. Kenneth would have to go through with this whether he wanted to or not. It was coming.

'Sit down, Kenneth, please. You're making me nervous,' Remus said suddenly**_,_** and he said it quite firmly**_,_** too.

'Am I making you nervous? Oh, I'm awfully sorry,' Kenneth snapped back in reply. 'I can understand how nervous you'd be feeling, after all, you have done this hundreds and hundreds of times. If you can tell me there's nothing to worry and _mean it,' _he added sharply as Remus opened his mouth to tell him there really wasn't anything to worry about. But he couldn't mean it. There were things to worry about. Remus kept saying that he didn't really know what would happen, he was just going off this on experience and of course the ever present favourite, "everyone's different." 'Then I'll be glad to calm down.'

'Kenneth,' Remus said slowly before he was interrupted in an instant.

'I get enough of that tone from my mother, thank you very much,' he growled in reply and kept running his hands through his hair, which had definitely grown shaggier**_,_** and it was quite a challenge to keep it calm and organized like he had been able to before.

He was quite fond of his brown hair; it was soft and sleek and did everything he told it to. Now he liked it even more. This morning he'd woken insanely early and trekked to the bathroom where'd he'd sat for a good half an hour just staring at his hair in the mirror. Kenneth had come to the conclusion his hair looked better in this messy**_,_** more _wolfish_ state. He looked dashing. It might just have been his imagination**_,_** but he was certain that his hair brought out amber like flecks in his otherwise boring brown eyes.

'Remus, do you think my hair has grown?'

'Rather quickly,' the older werewolf said**_,_** sounding happier for the chance of topic where he wasn't being verbally crashed down upon every two seconds. Remus sighed and shifted slightly in the chair. 'It's messier,' he said reluctantly.

'More wolfish, I thought,' Kenneth added his own opinion on the state of his hair.

'Yes that too,' Remus said and nodded and smiled at Kenneth**_,_** who stopped his pacing to fiddle with his hair a little more. 'Talking about your physical appearance calms you down, does it?'

'You'd be vain if you had a body like mine,' Kenneth said and chuckled to let Remus know he wasn't really being serious.

But he didn't miss Lupin's eyes as they rolled over his body and the slight shrug of the man's shoulders, even the low dip of his head in possible agreement. Kenneth beamed. He knew he did have a good body; it wasn't strong or even particularly muscular. He was slender; almost lanky but the small amount of muscles he did have buffed him about to make his slenderness attractive.

He'd sized himself up against Remus that morning as they had both stood staring languidly into the cupboards of Blue Cherry House, and decided that he was taller, just by a forehead width though. It gave him great pride to know that he was taller than Remus**_,_** and over the last couple of days**_, _**he had often thought about telling Remus that he had a kind of aura around him.

His quiet, tentative ways captured people**_,_** and his soft gently brown eyes held them hostage. But if Kenneth told him that**_,_** he didn't want to explain that he was captured by Remus' soft looks, his quiet and charmingly sweet personality. He adored the way Remus told it like it was but in the calmest way Kenneth had ever encountered. He wasn't like that**_. _**If it had been the other way around**_,_** and he had to tutor Remus through his, he would have told it like it was and then expected Remus to deal with it because he did. Remus was patient, kind and understanding. It was beautiful.

'So,' Kenneth said drawing the vowel sound out as he began pacing again, back and forth, back and forth, 'how did you manage to control your wolf?' he asked. 'Through, you know, just pushing it away whenever it came through, or something different?'

'I just pushed it away when it came through; there was nothing more to it. Not Wolfsbane or any other kind of potion. I had to learn to deal with the wolf long before I had access to any Wolfsbane. I don't even think there are any kinds of potions that would help with controlling it,' Remus said with a deep**_,_** thoughtful sigh.

'Did you ever think of trying any Muggle remedies to help control it?' Kenneth asked stopping his pacing and running a hand through his hair, yet again. 'Like how they use medicine, tablets, syrup, for colds.'

'It's purely will power,' Remus said. 'But if you want to you should go ahead and try anything. It might work, I've never tried. I do think you should only do that if you can't control it. It's been pretty good for you, Kenneth, nothing bad has really happened with your wolf.'

'Been pretty lucky, have I?'

'As a matter of fact, yes**_,_** you have been. Either you already have very good will power-'

'- have you seen me around cake? Will power is not my strong point.'

'Or,' Remus said**_,_** completely ignoring Kenneth's last point, 'you have a nice wolf, which is just going to sit back and let you be normal.'

'Wouldn't that be lovely,' Kenneth crooned. 'Except thatI'm going to turn into something that completely rewrites the laws of nature, Muggle nature anyway. Is it likely that my wolf is going to give me an easy ride when it's already taken over my life?'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean I'm never going to be the same again.'

'You've already established that you think your life has ended, Kenneth, but it hasn't. You can still live and deal with this. You aren't going to know what it's really like until you experience the full moon. You can start writing your will tomorrow morning if you still feel the need.'

Kenneth sighed dramatically and over exaggerated it. The room suddenly felt very stuffy with the magical fire burning in the hearth though there was no need for it outside as the weather was spotless. His hands fell from his hair in a movement which he trusted would show hopelessness.

'I'm going to check the wards,' he muttered, walking stridently out of the living room.

He couldn't help getting into these little arguments with Remus**_. _**The man was just trying to help**_,_** but Kenneth was highly strung at the moment and very agitated by the coming of the full moon. He wasn't sure if Remus even saw them as arguments at all**_;_** he probably just thought he was helping Kenneth by saying what he said. And he was helping**_;_** Kenneth was just a little permanently upset today.

He was worried about what would happen when he lost himself absolutely to the power of the moon. Kenneth was also worried about hurting Remus**_,_** even though the man assured him that he would not**_,_** his other words rang out. If Kenneth did decide to turn on Remus, he was a lot stronger than the older werewolf because his new strength and new wolf.

Werewolves peaked astronomically during their first full moon and gradually weakened before settling out into an average strength that was still tones higher than the average human. What if Kenneth did forget the ties he and Remus had as humans and did hurt him?

Strangely, he wasn't worried about hurting himself at all**_,_** and he hardly knew what to do if that happened. Remus couldn't console him any longer; no amount of talking could really calm him or prepare him for this. His only solace was the few remaining hours before.

The weather outside was pristine and prefect. Kenneth hadn't seen such a good day since the time he'd been turned, probably because he hadn't been looking for good days then. There was not a cloud in the sky and little could be seen in the way of coming blemishes. Kenneth grumpily kicked at a pile of leaves that crossed his path as he was so prone to doing while he walked to the area that they had both decided on laying out the wards.

Brecon Beacons really was a beautiful place**_,_** but Kenneth couldn't see himself coming back for any other reason apart from to transform and keep everyone else safe. He didn't want what had happened to him tohappen to someone else. It was very difficult to have the offender who bit him locked away because he wasn't a hundred percent sure who it was.

Greyback was the most obvious candidate**_,_** but there were plenty of others who could have done the deed. He was certain the Ministry wouldn't do anything with his case anyway; he was a lower class citizen as far as his rights were concerned. Someone people had little time for.

He knew the wards would be fine. He'd checked them that morning after spending ages staring vainly at his hair (it wasn't something he was proud of)**_,_** and he'd also seen Remus sneaking outside to have a look at them as well. He was sure that they were as strong as steel and breaking in and breaking out would be a very trying business. When he placed a hand upon the place he knew the powerful wards started, he felt the initial jolt of energy as a warning to back off a little.

If something or one tried to break through by applying more strength against the wards then they would be shocked**_,_** and if they kept trying they would be shocked harder still. The only way the wards could be brought down or breached was by magic. Kenneth felt fairly certain that if a wizard or witch saw a ward up they wouldn't tear it down especially if they saw what was inside it. It was a general rule in the Wizarding world; if a ward's up don't tear it down.

A wizard or witch who did would have to be a madman or woman. The only times a ward could be torn down was by the person who made it or by the Ministry if they thought there was no longer a need of it or if it was creating a nuisance. Kenneth pulled his hand away from the blue shimmering ward as felt the pressure building up against his hand. It was working, as had been proved once already by himself and another time by Remus**_,_** and now he had tested it again. Slight paranoia would be diagnosed by anyone who had seen them do this. But common sense would be diagnosed by someone who knew.

He turned from the wards and wandered back to the house which was only about twenty metres away from where they had set up the wards. He was thinking about having a rest in the bed he had claimed for his own. The other night he'd seriously contemplated Remus' bed, after all it was the softest and the nicest in the entire house.

The man had been so deeply in sleep Kenneth was sure he could have just jumped in beside him and the man would not have noticed. Lupin's delicious smell of chocolate had been plaguing him**_,_** too. Did the man bathe in it or something? Because he always smelt like that, it was intoxicating.

Did he use chocolate smelling aftershave or something as equally strange as that? Kenneth had slowly begun to think that he didn't smell like that, well he did smell like that. It was hard to describe but Kenneth had found he could tune in and out to his smell, it wasn't like smelling it so much you get used to it, it was literally like he could turn the smell off and then turn it back on again.

Kenneth had begun to think that he didn't smell chocolate on Remus, he sensed Remus through how he smelt of chocolate and just magnetised it. It was hard to explain also. But he never associated Remus with anything but chocolate. It was most definitely a werewolf thing. He wanted to ask Remus what he smelt on him but was nervous it might be something revolting or nasty.

'How are the wards?' he heard Remus call just as he was about to climb the stairs. He turned back to see Remus sitting even more curled up in the armchair in front of the fireplace**_,_** and he was glad there wasn't a door to that room. He smiled.

'Fine, they haven't changed at all,' he replied and sounded quite croaky. Quickly he cleared his throat. 'I'm going to have a rest,' he said. 'Don't wake me up, maybe I can sleep through it,' he added the last part sarcastically**_,_** but Remus cocked his head to one side and looked at Kenneth like he was slightly moronic. 'I was being sarcastic.'

'Oh,' Remus murmured. 'Have a good rest.'

'Thank you.'

Three hours later it was all on. He'd woken up with the blaring colour of the sunset swimming through his windows and his heart had fallen ten feet. With already shaking hands**_,_** he'd pushed the covers aside from his body and clambered out of the bed. His heart pounded so painfully it was like being struck in the chest with a thousand sharp knives, one after the other in a steady beating rhythm.

But as he walked slowly down the stairs the crisp tang of the knives in his chest quickened**_,_** and he felt as though he should be keeling over from the pain of it all. It was only his heart beating out a panicked drumbeat. He felt clammy as he stumbled upon Remus, still sitting in the armchair staring desolately at the fireplace. Kenneth suddenly heard the beating of his heart in his eyes as Remus stood up and ushered him outside into the quickly cooling dusk air. His hands shook, his chest shook, his legs shook**_,_** and before he knew it**_,_** he was shaking all over.

Remus placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tightly, almost too tightly and gave away the panic he was starting to feel himself. Kenneth had thought that a single touch from Remus and a glance into those sweet brown eyes would calm him but after the nervous squeeze on the shoulder the man had given him he didn't want to look anywhere near his eyes as he might see something else that frighten him further.

Honestly, he was quite glad that Remus had offered any comforting words as he would have shot them down in a second, he didn't want to hear he'd be ok, he wanted the moon to fucking rise so he could this over with.

Remus tapped his wand on the side of the wards, sparkling gently with soft blue light in the twilight. With no noise a long tall rectangle opened in the glittery magic and Remus nudged him through and followed himself. He turned to close the ward back up again once they were inside.

'Will I need my wand?' he asked Remus in a hushed voice.

He hadn't thought about it at all. It had completely escaped his mind to bring it with him**_,_** and he'd left it up in his bed somewhere covered by all the blankets. Kenneth looked around the expanse inside the wards boundaries. They had chosen a very boring place. There would be nothing to do once it had begun. It might increase Kenneth's reason to attack Remus, something he feared greatly. He didn't want to hurt the man who'd done so much for him. If it happened**_,_** Remus would be so forgiving and cut him a lot of slack that it would be terrible.

'No,' Remus whispered. 'You won't need it at all. What good would it do?'

'I was planning on something very heroic,' Kenneth retorted crossing his arms and let out a huff of air.

Remus actually laughed and moved his hand from Kenneth's shoulder to grip his hand tightly. 'You'll be-'

'- don't say it!' Kenneth shouted startling Remus greatly. 'If I'm not fine I don't want to be able to blame you for telling me I was going to be.'

'Fair enough,' Remus answered with a slight shrug. Suddenly**_,_** his grip around Kenneth's hand tightened incredibly. Kenneth let out a little gasp of shock as Remus looked at him. 'Look,' he said and pointed upwards to the sky. 'It's starting.'

Instantly, the worse pain Kenneth had ever suffered in his life racked through his body. He was faintly aware of a shriek of absolute pain and only realized it was his when he collapsed to the ground, bones breaking and body morphing. After he was able to count five more screams from his own mouth, he saw black before his eyes with pain just rolling over and over his body continuously.

He lost control in an instant after the racking pain stopped. What he could see through his own eyes was vague and blurred and everything looked like it was an opponent. For a few seconds it was like this and he was beginning to think that these eyes were not his own until something clicked and a painfully good view slipped into place. Everything was so clear, he could see each and every individual blade of grass swaying gently in the softest wind he had ever felt.

There were paws on the grass below him and somehow they were his, he didn't think anything of it, they just belonged to him. Everything about him felt normal, like this was how he was supposed to be. He took a step forward and felt four paws moving. It felt good. It was normal. His nose caught the whiff of chocolate, he was about to run towards and attack as the only instinct he knew indicated but he knew that smell.

The wolf realized he liked the smell and knew it, it was a good smell. He wasn't to touch who the smell belonged to, he knew that wolf. No, he couldn't and he wasn't going to. The ground was spongy beneath his feet as he walked forward, his nose attesting to many different smells around him. He could sniff out the smell of the grass; it had rained recently, the ground smelt of it. The sky was so defined and he could each and every star like it shone out as the moon did. Everything was radiant. It was normal. It felt so normal.

It felt like this was the way it was supposed to be.

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**hint **I love feedback **/hint  
**I hope you enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the other chapters and the rest of the story!


	6. Paint It Black

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Paint It Black

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. Hell, I probably don't even own the words I used to write this.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Guy Again! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

I have also, recently, changed my pen-name from Captain Spag. to Ferosh. so this still is me, just new name.

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His body jumped; his mind tried to revolt against him. He let out a puffy scream, his throat feeling raw and sore like he'd screamed himself hoarse, and sat bolt upright knocking the blankets from around him. For some reason an overwhelmed sense of fear surrounded him, and he stared, shocked, at the room around him.

This was not what he remembered. He shouldn't be in this room; he didn't know this bed. Racking his memory he tried to think back on what he could last remember, letting the fear wash over him only to be replaced with a throbbing sense of pervious pain and stiffness. That's all he could remember: pain. Huge amounts of pain, then nothing, then more pain that continuously swarmed through his body with the vengeance of a scorned woman. It was as he was sitting that he noticed his chest was wrapped in bandages, pure white with no red to announce blood on them. He touched a hand to his chest and felt the sting of pain that made him yank his hand away and look around him some more now that he remembered all he possibly could. Pain, pain, pain, it had been everywhere.

Staring around the room, it suddenly clicked where he was. He sniffed and there it was that tempting smell of chocolate, just in the next room. Remus, darling Remus had let him sleep it off in the best room in the house, and he'd even seen to the wounds Kenneth had obtained.

Quickly, he lurched from the bed no matter the protests of his body; he needed to see if Remus was ok. If he'd hurt him, if he'd got these stinging wounds on his chest because he'd hurt Remus badly, he'd hurt himself again. He followed the chocolate to the bathroom that joint onto Remus's room.

The brown sandy haired man was sitting on the rim of the bath dipping a cloth into the water that was swirling around and touching it to the deep red cuts on his arms. Kenneth let out a strangled gasp that caused Remus to spin around stare at him. Kenneth was relieved when he smiled.

'You should still be resting,' Remus informed him.

Kenneth ignored him blatantly. 'What happened to your arm?' he asked.

'It was me,' Remus said with a long drawn out sigh. 'It was you,' When Kenneth frowned he added. 'It was both of us.'

'What do you mean?' Kenneth asked breathlessly. 'What happened?'

'I can remember bits,' Remus said. 'Not much, though. I haven't been taking Wolfsbane enough to be able to remember a whole night. You were really good. You were all right,' Remus murmured softly and reached out to smoothly touch his fingertips to Kenneth's arm. 'You, uh, well it was kind of like you respected me and at first you wanted to play around with me, and I got really agitated with you. Your chest - I'm sorry. It shouldn't scar. But you left me alone after that and lay down beside me. I think you must have been bored, but you didn't bother me at all until I went for a walk along the outline of the wards, and you tried to follow me, so I swiped at you again, and then you swiped at me,' Remus said, sighing jaggedly. 'Apart from that you were great, and from what I can remember the whole thing was fine. Can you remember anything?'

'Sorry about your arm,' Kenneth said, ignoring Remus's question at first. 'I didn't mean to.'

'I know,' Remus grinned lightly as Kenneth sat down beside him on the rim of the bath, glancing at his cut arm.

'Does it hurt?' he asked. Gingerly, he reached out for the cloth in the werewolf's hands, but Remus pulled back and dabbed his arm himself.

'It's alright,' he said. 'I'm used to it. Can you remember anything of what happened last night?'

'I can remember pain, but uh, that was about it. I wasn't really expecting it to be a tea party, but I wasn't nearly even prepared for how much that hurt. I can hardly feel it at all anymore. I just feel a bit stiff. It's so strange. I feel that much pain, but now I can't feel any of that pain anymore. Don't you ever find that weird?' Kenneth asked, staring up at the ceiling as his eyes filled with a little water. He didn't want to look at Remus; he had hurt him, not badly, but he had.

He grimaced as he noted that Remus's eyes had flown down to look his bandaged chest. Remus looked as though he still mulling what Kenneth had said over and over in his mind, like some parts didn't make sense or he understood what had been said too well. Kenneth wanted to cross his arms over his chest to stop Remus from staring and kicking himself about it. 'Do you have more control when you use Wolfsbane?'

Lupin's eyes snapped up like he really had been somewhere different, day dreaming about something. 'Occasionally,' he murmured, pushing the cloth back down into the boiling heat of the bath and pulling it back out in a second where he this time draped in over his arm and pressed down against it. Kenneth winced as he saw the specks of red that flocked to the surface of the hot cloth. 'It's hard to stop myself as the whole point of the full moon is that you lose complete and utter control of yourself. Wolfsbane tampers with that and tries to twist it around that so that werewolves do have control over themselves on that night.'

'Tricky business,' Kenneth hummed.

He was amazed at how much it did not feel like he'd done what he'd been dreading for weeks last night. He did not just feel like the first transformation that basically marred the rest of his life had just happened the night before. Though, he did feel as though as great weight had been taken off his shoulders when he'd woken to find that he was very well and that Remus was all right too. It lifted a great weight off.

As impressive as it was that he'd actually done what Remus had described last night, he couldn't help but be a little disappointed in how he'd just lain down and not done much at all. He'd thought that he would have unleashed the monster within, but Remus had illustrated how he'd acted as that of a puppy. Maybe that was just how his wolf was. Mainly, he'd heard of monstrous werewolves who lose themselves absolutely and have no control whatsoever – like the wolf who'd bitten him on the full moon a month ago. Then again, he hadn't been around anyone he could have terrorized.

He could live his full moons out by being very boring and a slightly pathetic excuse for a werewolf. And he knew that it was a good thing he was like that; he didn't want to try out the real monster because he would probably end up hurting someone. He didn't want to end up like Remus, poor Remus, with scars all over himself because of what he did to himself.

'So I wasn't fearsome at all?' he asked trying to make it sound as normal as he possibly could. Remus shook his head lightly, focusing on his wounds on his arms. The man was being too quiet, and it unnerved Kenneth deeply. 'Aren't you going to bandage that?' he asked.

Remus sighed deeply. 'I'm going to a meeting soon,' he said. 'Something that can't wait; I don't know what it is, but Dumbledore has demanded to see me immediately. Dumbledore doesn't usually demand. There will be others there, people who know what I am and don't like to see me in bandages after the full moon. It makes them uncomfortable.'

'Stuff them,' Kenneth said loudly. 'They just didn't have to endure that. Stuff them. They can stick it. Where are the bandages?' he asked Remus who looked as though he was seriously contemplating telling those people to stuff it. 'Where's my wand?' he added as an afterthought.

He'd never been so long without by his side not even when he was a child. He'd had a wand as soon as he was able to be taught and to think. As a child he'd been taught never to use spells until his parents received the Ministry's approval to home school their children and had had a special kind of trace placed on them as opposed to the normal one that went off whenever a student used magic outside of school. He couldn't believe he hadn't had his wand nearly all day yesterday; he hadn't even bothered when he'd gone to check the wards.

He left the bathroom with the sole purpose of finding it and the bandages. He found his wand on the bedside table in his room; someone must have moved it because it had been wrapped up in sheets the last time he had touched it. It was a relief to have it in his hands again. Kenneth felt easily more comfortable with it near him, it was like an accessory that he couldn't do without.

The bandages, however, were unravelled from their original tight coil, and Kenneth could imagine Remus would have been in a hurry to treat him and move on to himself. But the thought of what everyone thought of him would have slowed him down as he didn't want to present himself for what he was. Kenneth could imagine Remus being respected by everyone in the Wizarding world if he wasn't a werewolf. He was bright, compassionate and a skilled wizard. He picked up the long rolling loop of bandages, gathering up as much of it as he could and just letting the rest grind along the floor as he went back into the bathroom.

Remus stuck his hand out as soon as he saw Kenneth return to the room with the piles of bandages bundled in his arms and trailing along the floor behind him, a faint smile crossing over his face. Kenneth decided that he looked dead, dead from exhaustion where as he, by some insane stroke of luck, felt ok. Not a hundred percent, but he felt fine. Kenneth gently placed the bandages in Remus's pale hand and watched as he wrapped them around and around his arm, pulling it tightly to stop the flow of blood.

'Werewolves usually regenerate quite quickly,' Remus told him, not once looking up from his work. 'But as I get older ...' he added just drawing that off and leaving it unfinished.

'You aren't old,' Kenneth assured him.

'Older then I was. I remember when I was younger, about your age; it never used to hurt me afterwards. I'd be quite happy just to get up and continue on for a normal day. Now it's worse.'

'You aren't old,' Kenneth said again. 'You can't be any older then late thirties, and that isn't old. Believe me. I once knew this man, easily just over forty, second best sex of my life.' He grinned when he saw Remus let out a soft smile. 'I haven't decided who the best was yet. I'm giving other people the chance to top my list.'

He enjoyed making Remus smile, it painted a better picture across his face than the one of sullen depression he'd been wearing all morning. His mind had been working fast and possibly against him when he said that because he was sure one part of it had been to try and give Remus the knowledge that he thought he was gorgeous, but hadn't really found the time to check him out yet. And the other part of him might have just meant it as a joke to make him smile. Remus hadn't shot him any weird and slightly uncomfortable looks so Kenneth figured the joke had come out and not the sexual innuendo, which privately he was embarrassed about.

'So, when's this meeting of yours?'

'Evening,' Remus said and looked out the window. 'I'll have to be going soon.'

'But what time is it?' Kenneth asked, craning his neck to look outside as well. It didn't seem all that late in the day at all, and he could have sworn in felt like the morning as he'd just woken up, and his biological clock rarely failed him. He woke up at the same time of seven every morning and when he had the chance to sleep in, he just went back to sleep, no problem.

'Just after lunch.'

'Merlin, are you serious?' Kenneth gaped, shocked. Half the day had just flown past without him realizing. 'Where'd all the day go?'

'You slept through most of it,' Remus replied easily.

'Oh,' Kenneth said, flushing pink. 'Thanks for bandaging my chest,' he added, tapping his collar bone where it didn't hurt to the touch.

'It's fine. And yes, I would be vain also if I had a body like yours,' Remus said in a quite undertone. He looked up at Kenneth who hadn't sat back down on the rim of the bathtub in quite an appealing way. Kenneth ended up just smiling stupidly back down. Remus stood to his feet. 'You're right,' he said wistfully. 'I'm not old. I'm just tired.'

Kenneth clapped him soundly on the back. 'Right you are,' he whispered, far from the usual cheery way that expression was said, but he meant it. 'You going now?' he asked a little foolishly as Remus started for the door.

'Yes, I am.'

'Need any help packing your things?' Kenneth asked leaning against the door as Remus passed him back into the room.

'No, I left them all in the bag. Only took out what I needed.' Remus waved his wand with a little flick, and everything that wasn't already in his bag soared gracefully inside. Remus turned around the room looking for anything else to put inside that hadn't gone in with the spell. 'That's it then,' he said, picking up the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. 'Thank you for giving me the best room. Comfortable bed.'

'Very, and you're welcome. Thank you for coming and for this morning with the bandages and all.'

They walked down the stairs in silence and it wasn't until they reached the fireplace in the front room that Kenneth said something. 'Are the wards still up?' he asked.

'I didn't have time to put them down, sorry.'

'No, it's ok. I can do it. I wanted to do it anyway. Have a look, you know,' Kenneth shrugged. 'Yeah, you know. So, where is this meeting, somewhere important?'

'Just at Hogwarts, nothing very exciting,' said Remus.

'I've never been to Hogwarts before,' Kenneth said and when Remus widened his eyes at him, he added, 'never ever been.'

'That's quite impressive. Most people, even if they didn't attend school there, have usually been once or twice in their life. You have been to Hogsmeade?'

'Yeah, of course! I've seen Hogwarts from a distance. It looks more like a fortress then a school. Next time I go to Hogsmeade, I won't be able to look at the Shrieking Shack again, I'll tell you that.'

Remus grinned. 'Well, thank you for letting me stay here. Nice to have some company.'

Suddenly, Kenneth had pulled Remus into a tight hug. He couldn't even remember the thought process that had led to his arms being around the other man. It had just happened. And what was even more was when he kissed the man's neck. He didn't know what he was doing; he was softly kissing and licking Remus's neck. Abruptly he came too and gave a yelp of shock, pushing away off Remus and stepping backwards so he collided with the chair behind him. After a few seconds of staring shocked down at his own hands and trying to remember if he'd ordered his body to move his lips down to Lupin's neck and remembering nothing, he looked up at Remus. The werewolf looked mildly surprised and had touched to fingers to the place where Kenneth's mouth had been on his neck.

'Was that you or the wolf?' he asked presently, pulling his fingers back and attempting a small smile at Kenneth.

'Look, I'm so sorry, it wasn't me. I don't know what I was doing, it just happened. I really didn't mean to do it. I'm sorry,' blabbered Kenneth. 'It was the wolf, I think. I don't usually make first moves like that. We'd go for a coffee or a butterbeer first. Merlin, Remus, I'm sorry.'

Remus shrugged. 'It's all right,' he said. 'It wasn't you. It was the wolf. No problem,' He crossed over to Kenneth and held his hand out for him to shake. 'Next full moon, maybe?'

'Maybe.'

Kenneth watched him step into the fireplace and take a handful of the light dusty green powder that was provided. He didn't catch what Remus said as he threw it up around him but knew it would be Hogwarts and maybe the name of a separate connection coming off that so he ended up in the right fireplace. Kenneth knew his maybe had secretly been a yes and as embarrassed as he was about what had just happened, he would like to spend another full moon with Remus. It seemed silly to want to do that as he didn't even remember them, and the pain was hardly fun. But he also knew that the strongest ties were formed with people whom you had something in common and shared something with. What could be more of a tie than this terrible curse they were both under? Too bad the curse couldn't be undone, not by any of that fairytale rubbish. Not by anything for that matter. He didn't know why his wolf had decided to mysteriously latch on Remus's neck and didn't know what that symbolized either. Hoping that Remus would come up with a solution to why Kenneth had done that and told him the next time they met.

Xxx

'What the fuck are you doing here?' Kenneth snapped, yanking his key out of the pocket of his jeans, and he pushed past her to the doorway of his home and shoved the key menacingly inside the lock, twisting it. He pushed his shoulder against the door and swung inside with it, his chest protesting greatly as he accidently brushed it against the doorknob as he passed. 'Put that out before you step foot in my bloody house,' he added harshly pointing to his guest with a threatening finger.

'I hope you don't kiss your mother with that mouth,' his guest drawled and snubbed her cigarette on the wall by the front door leaving an ugly, sooty mark.

'Merlin, Inez, do you mind?' Kenneth asked, sticking his head back out the door and staring at where she put out her cigarette. 'What must your family think you?' he asked sourly as he walked back into his house and threw his bag on the couch as he walked past it. 'Good pureblood girl like you, smoking's such a Muggle thing and going around with that Muggle boyfriend of yours.'

'Associating with werewolves,' she added, sitting down on the couch and kicking off Kenneth's bag and putting her feet in its place. 'I'm sure they think very highly of me.'

'Thanks so much for the hospital visit, really cheered me up,' Kenneth commented dryly.

'They detained you?' Inez asked, flicking her crystal blonde hair behind her shoulder, pouting her lips and nodding as she added, 'nice.'

'I was not detained,' he said frowning at her sourly. 'They helped me.'  
'Did they cure you?'

'That's not the point,' Kenneth put the cold drink he'd fished out of the fridge to his forehead and then to his chest, which was beginning to sting, and walked back into the lounge.

He glared at Inez who'd turned her blue on eyes on him. This little known Malfoy annoyed him to the last, but she was for some reason his friend and apparently the best he had if she was the only one to turn up at his door to see him even in his current condition. Kenneth sat down next to her on the couch and kicked his bag further away. Once Inez got all of the trained rudeness she often installed on half-bloods that had been taught to her by the oh, so noble house of Malfoy, she could actually be quite pleasant. But right now Kenneth just wanted to punch her in the face.

'Then, they didn't help you did they?'

'Merlin's fucking balls, Inez! Trust you to come. Basically, the worst of my friends decides to pop over and remind of what it is I am. Fuck you!' Kenneth said loudly, resisting the urge to stand up in his seat and continue his tirade. He didn't even drink the bottle in his hand, just rolled it lazily over his chest as the pair of them stared at each other; each determined not to lose eye contact first. But finally Inez broke it herself.

'Are you quite done?' she asked delicately kicking her feet over his legs as he leaned back into the couch, letting a long breath draw from his throat.

'I believe so,' he said as he pushed her feet off. 'So, why are you here?' he asked her.

'Came to see you,' she said. 'I got word from your mother. She thinks everyone should know but doesn't seem awfully impressed that you got yourself bit. I take it she hasn't come to see you herself?'

'No, I bet she's scared of me.'

'Scared shitless,' Inez confirmed.

'No, but seriously,' Kenneth said reverting back to what he wanted to know, 'Why are you here? Are you honestly serious when you say you've come to see me? That isn't a very you thing to do, Inez.'

'Well,' she drawled languorously. 'I just thought that you could use some company. And where have you been?' she suddenly asked, her eyes flitting down to the bag like she had only just remembered it was there.

She often blurted questions out at the end of a sentence in the hope that people would be so shocked by the question they would in turn splutter out the answer. Kenneth was never fazed by this, and she hadn't done it very well this time. She usually did it so abruptly that the answer was the first thing that came out of your mouth when you answered. She also played that "I'm a scary Malfoy pureblood" card very well.

Not many people knew her as a front line Malfoy girl mainly because she stood at the back of the group in all the photos. Inez was considered a bit of a failure by the leading Malfoy's, she was currently sexually involved with a Muggle man, she associated herself as friendly as she possibly could with half-bloods and she had refused to marry into another pureblood family. They'd been close to disowning her, but as Inez always said "as if she'd care."

She was always borderline in the shit with her family and lately had been going all out to try to disappoint them and piss them off but lately, they hadn't been caring so much. Kenneth believed she was starting to lose her touch and that there was very little she could do that shocked people anymore, because she'd already done it all.

'Up in the Brecon Beacons,' he said fiddling with his wand in his hands with half a mind to curse or hex her just so she'd leave. He was exhausted and the thought of touching his lips to the gorgeous Remus Lupin's neck was still in his mind. He needed to do something about that. Only Merlin knew what could happen if he didn't.

'Wales? What were you doing in Wales of all places? If you want a nice holiday go to France. Wales,' she snorted.

'Did you really expect me to transform in my living room? And I've lost my fucking job thanks to the Ministry, as if I had time to plan a trip to France let alone afford to have a reasonably nice one.'

'Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot about all that anti-werewolf crap,' Inez sighed and stretched her legs out in front of her. 'So, did no one really come and visit you when you were in the hospital. Your mum sent letters out to everyone.'

'No one came. I was alone, which isn't a very good look when your neighbour is a Weasley. Hundreds of them trooped in and out every day.'

'Must have been awful for you.'

'Yes, the great Weasley maker himself, Arthur Weasley, tried to console me on my condition.'

'How very awful.'

'He's quite nice actually.' Kenneth sighed deeply. It cleared his head. He did feel like he wanted to box Inez's head in when all she'd done was be herself around him; he'd never wanted to hit her so badly in his life. After a few more deep breathes, he was ready to continue this conversation. 'If you really wanted to piss your family off, Inez, you should spend time with all the Weasleys and maybe even sleep with one.'

'Who said I wanted to piss my family off?' Inez asked, sounding almost offended. She twisted around to face Kenneth as if she wanted to show him how serious she was.

'You've always wanted to,' said Kenneth with a frown. Ever since he'd known her she'd been intent on trying schemes to annoy and irritate them which made the Malfoys even more intent on pushing her to the back of the family where on one would see "such a disgrace".

'Maybe we are even starting to see eye to eye now,' Inez said, like she hadn't even heard Kenneth speak and was just continuing on from what she had said seconds before. Inez gave a well disguised cough and sat up straighter against the arm rest of the couch.

'What do you mean? Eye to eye on what topic? It's nothing to do with the Dark Arts or You-Know-Who is it?' Kenneth remembered something Remus had said. 'People really do think that he has come back.'

Inez gave away no facial features despite the small hereditary Malfoy smirk. 'It's true,' she said loftily. 'Do you believe what some people are saying, Kenneth? You should; it is very true.'

'How do you know?' Kenneth asked, knowing that his eyes were wide as he spoke.

'I've seen Lucius' dark mark moving,' she said wistfully and started to stroke the skin of her own forearm which instinctively made Kenneth arch his neck to see if she had one as well. He breathed out in relief when he saw that her arm was bare. 'He showed me,' she added with a slight purr in her voice. 'And he was most interested to hear about you, Kenneth.'

'What?' he asked shakily. 'Why?'

'After all, you are a dark creature now,' she continued on, yet again like she hadn't heard him speak.

Kenneth shuddered too visibly because Inez laughed at him, shaking her head slightly. As she opened her mouth to speak again, Kenneth snapped, 'Stop it, Inez! Don't say another word!'

'Do you know, Kenneth, that the Dark Lord can give you a better life?' she said innocently. 'He can give you everything the Ministry has taken from you. He can give it back,' she had moved so that she was now gripping his shoulders tightly, her piercing eyes boring down on him.

Kenneth was unable to speak for several seconds, just staring back at his friend, stunned. He blinked, shoving her hands away from him. 'Are you trying to ... recruit me?' he spat, absolutely horrified.

'Uncle was most interested when I told him about you. Very interested.'

It sounded like Inez was not just trying to recruit him but also ask him in her unique way to be her uncle's play toy. Kenneth rose quickly to his feet and grabbed her arm in a tight vice like grip, pulling her towards the door. He would not take any of this; he'd not turn to You-Know-Who. He'd never dream of sinking that low. Not even for a better life.

'He can give you a better life, Kenneth! Give you back what the Ministry stole from you!' She was nearly shrieking as he flung her towards the door. 'All you have to do is say yes!'

Kenneth yanked open the door as he let go of her arm. 'Out!' he barked loudly, shoving her towards the open door. 'Get out of my house!'

Inez laughed as she stumbled backwards from the force of his push, not even realizing when the laughter turned into unstoppable cackling. 'Uncle will be most interested in hearing your refusal,' she said grinning wildly at him.

Subconsciously, Kenneth tightened his grip around his wand with half the mind to hold it between her eyes.  
'Not going to change your mind?' she asked between laughs. Kenneth shook his head. 'Fine!' And with one tiny crack, she was gone.

'Oh, Merlin,' Kenneth groaned, slamming his fist into the wall. 'Oh, Merlin, no,' Not in a million centuries had he thought that Inez would finally turn back to the arms of her family.

Xxx

Gringotts was bustling. He was gently shoved to and fro as he calmly made his way to a goblin at the counter like he was at sea in a row boat. Calmly, because after Inez had visited him with the somewhat startling news of her turn to her family and the shocking request she had placed before him, obviously at the demand of her uncle, he had gone through the house and smashed every single one of the hideous pot plants his mother sent him every Christmas. The ones he hadn't the heart to let die. Then he'd had to sit down and turn up the Zen Ben in him, waiting until he slowly regained his normal frame of mind. Normal being the part of him that didn't want rush after Inez had break her neck.

Normal was the part of him that wanted to reason with her and find out the exact reason she had turned back to her family and thus turning for the first time in her life to the Dark Lord. Kenneth wanted to know why, but at the moment didn't want to risk seeing her or communicating with her as he was fairly certain the next time he saw her that the wolf would want to hurt her in some way for scaring him so. As to the hints of Lucius wanting him to be his newest boy toy, that was rather revolting.

The trip to Gringotts was purely for education reasons as he'd already paid the man for the use of the house in Brecon Beacons. He'd realized to a great shock while staying out in the house that he didn't actually know how much gold he really had. All his rough estimates of being able to live comfortably off the money inside was just his subconscious trying not to worry him about the future without a job.

He now remembered that, oops – he really didn't have that much there. It was a mystery as to what had led to him to be so sure about having the right amount of money to live comfortably, that he only had to assume to was the voice in the back of his head that everyone had taking care of him. He had known that every since he'd lost his job he would need a new one.  
He was grateful for his mind trying to take care of him in the difficult times before his first full moon (which had gone amazingly well, though his chest hadn't healed over entirely yet), but he would have liked to have been a little more in the know with his own current affairs. It was amazing what the human body could tune out and morph when it didn't want to think about it. Right now however, he knew it was a nerve racking experience to find out how much money he had left. And to know that he had hardly anyone to rely on but himself made it worse.

'Hello,' Kenneth said to the small goblin that was at the first empty desk he came across. He felt rather stupid after he'd said it. Large but beady eyes turned to him, and it was all he could do not to gulp. He cracked out a small smile.  
'How may I help you?' the goblin asked in a high pitched, squeaky tone.

'I'd like to check my vault balance.'

'Will you be going down to the vault?' the goblin asked. His long fingers tapped away at the desk top and flicked aside a piece of paper.

'Yes. I have the key with me,' Kenneth said as he produced the bronze key which hung on a long silver chain from an inside pocket of his cloak. 'The vault number is 15679.'

The goblin's head snapped at him, and he frowned deeply, his thin lips curving downwards so far Kenneth was sure they'd reach his chin. His thick, white caterpillar eyebrows rose and the wrinkled brow furrowed. 'Oh, vault number 15679. There is something here for you.'

The goblin jumped down from behind his desk and tottered off to see a goblin that looked much older and must have been something like an official. He spoke quickly and pointed across at Kenneth. The senior official goblin nodded after taking a glance and fished inside his expensive, delicate looking waistcoat and produced a golden letter which he handed to the goblin assisting Kenneth. And in a second he was back at the desk, holding the letter out for Kenneth to take, the golden back and the MoM seal flickering in the lamplight.

'This is for you, werewolf,' the goblin said with an evil smirk. 'From the Ministry.'

Kenneth took the letter with a quickening pulse. He stepped aside in the queue that had formed behind him as he waited to tear open the letter in a little more peace than what he had. How the goblin had addressed him once he'd learnt the letter that must have been delivered recently was for him and how he knew that Kenneth was a werewolf made him rip into the letter and pull its contents out. Inside there were two sheets of thin parchment. One looked to have nothing written on it and on the other, Kenneth could the faint swirl of hand written writing that suggested trouble. He sighed and pulled out the parchment that was blank first. It wasn't blank, on the top in the same handwriting, COMPLAINTS was spelled out in capitols and underlined like the Ministry expected you to have some. To Kenneth, that spelled out more trouble. Without hesitation, Kenneth pulled out the other sheet of parchment.

'The Ministry have exercised their control and rights,' the goblin called over to him after he'd finished with another costumer. The goblin chortled as Kenneth began to scan the parchment with a grave face. The creature was obviously pleased that the Ministry was picking on someone else other than his kind for once.

Kenneth was fussed about how and why the goblin had read his mail more than the rudeness being directed at him. Maybe it was the job of the very senior looking goblin he'd acquired the letter to know that kind of thing. To that Kenneth couldn't object, at least the goblin had a job.

The letter read: _Mr Kenneth Webber, werewolf.  
The Ministry of Magic, Minister for Magic, Mr Cornelius Fudge, had the state of Mr Webber's Gringotts account brought to their attention.  
It is known that Mr Webber has a long standing loan with a Wizarding firm (name not requisite). As dictated by the Werewolf Code of Conduct (est. 1637) the Ministry has full control over Mr Webber's account and have annulled any previous arrangements Mr Webber has made with this firm on regards to paying back the loan he borrowed. The Ministry has paid back this firm in full with money from Mr Webber's account as stated is acceptable by law.  
Sincerely,  
__  
_What followed was an illegible signature that he couldn't read and barely translate into a name. Kenneth crumpled up the letter in his hand. The loan he'd taken out had been to help afford his first house at the young age of twenty; it had been a huge endeavour in itself, and he had needed help in making that happened.

He'd always wanted his own home. The arrangement of paying back the money he owed them had been to pay 20 back each year. This meant he had more money to play around with and enjoy. Both the firm and Kenneth had never been fussed by this deal, and Kenneth kept up his end of the arrangement, which was actually proposed by the firm anyway. It had been a happy deal, almost in some ways like a good relationship – easy to manage, not picky.

The Ministry, fuck them, had swooped down and taken control. It was like they had seized Kenneth's happy relationship and told it he was sleeping with another person, told it to pack its bags and then returned some belongings it had left behind. The complaint sheet stared up at him as well giving Kenneth a real want to write a heavily worded letter in response, after all, they'd provided the parchment.

It wouldn't do much good, and it wasn't really much of a big deal. He had only a small amount left to pay off. It just symbolized how much control and force the Ministry could now take in his life. If they wanted to they could play around with his finances and money. It was annoying, intrusive and rude but not much of a bother. Kenneth suspected the Ministry had doubts about him paying the money back and given their new found strength in his life blundered in and done it for him. Kenneth knew that if he stayed out of the Ministry's way and did nothing to even let them complain about him, not one speck of trouble, and he'd be fine. He didn't need You-Know-Who, Inez's recruitment or Lucius Malfoy to have a good life.

And that was when he decided to ask out Remus Lupin on a date.

His vault was better than he had expected after the money the Ministry had taken out. A decent sized pile sat in the centre of the vault. It was mainly gold but was flecked with silver sickles and bronze Knuts. He felt sitting there in his vault and counting his hoard like a dragon.

With one long keening glance around the vault at all his gold, he grabbed two large handfuls and stuffed them into the bags with the giant G's on them that the bank provided. He was thinking about selling his home. At twenty it had been a massive risk buying, and it had worked well for four years, but now, he did need the money; he had to admit it. He didn't think he could keep up with it – the bills. Kenneth had only just paid off the loan that had bought his home, thanks to the Ministry, yet selling it was an option.

Getting a new job could be a long way off; he might need some money soon. And if worse came to worse he'd sell up and become Lucius's boy toy for a while. But only if there was no other way out.

* * *

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	7. World Go 'Round

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title: World Go 'Round**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Guy Again! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

* * *

It gave him an absolutely huge shock when he heard the hooting of an owl near his bedroom window. The group of them had been sitting calmly, holding cups of tea that Kenneth had made and sipping them like they were royal dignitaries. Mr and Mrs Lamprey were reclining on the couch as if they already owned it; Mr Lamprey had even made a move to prop his fat feet up on the coffee table but stopped when he saw the light glare in Kenneth's eyes.

They hadn't bought the house yet_**,**_ but the minute that they entered, rather unannounced, Kenneth knew that was what they were here for. It seemed_**,**_ by the way they came over all suited and skirted up in a remarkable fashion, Mr Lamprey even carrying a briefcase_**,**_ that they wanted to do this old school.

Old school_,_ as in hand Kenneth the check for the price he was asking, sign a few forms and then that would be it, the house would be theirs_**,**_ and Kenneth would leave in a matter of hours. He'd promised a quick get out and magic certainly helped with that. They'd talked_**,**_ and Mrs Lamprey had spluttered over her coffee as she gushed over the house.

Kenneth was certain that Mr Lamprey was simply going to pay him his asking price, which was a little higher than most houses selling in the area but only for the reason of the furniture remaining in the house. Just as Mr Lamprey had slapped his hands down on his immense thighs sending a rippling motion across the rest of his large, flabby body and Mrs Lamprey had clapped her hands together and looked adoringly across at Kenneth that the hoot of the owl had startled him, nearly making him fall backwards from his chair.

'What in the devil - ?' Mr Lamprey exclaimed and rose to his feet like Kenneth.

'No, no, sit,' Kenneth said, knowing exactly that the owl would be carrying a letter for him, hopefully from Remus, maybe then Kenneth would pluck up courage and ask. He was, after all, beginning to develop a crush on Remus. 'I'll go see what it is.'

It was awkward having Muggles in the house_**;**_ if it was wizards he were selling to_**,**_ he would have just waved it off and welcomed the owl to poop and shit everywhere before taking the letter from it and lazily cleaning up the debris it would have left behind with his wand. Things were so much easier when it was wizard to wizards; wizard to Muggles was something of an effort. Twice now, Kenneth had nearly pulled out his wand.

He'd been sheepishly embarrassed several times when he did this and this caused Mrs Lamprey's sharp eye to snap towards him and ask what was wrong. Kenneth had desperately wanted to say, _I nearly pulled my wand out twice! Oh, silly me, will I ever learn?_ And then causally wave that aside with a twist in his wrist. But he grinned awkwardly and hurried off in the direction of the hooting.

'Yes, yes!' he scolded. 'You're desperate for attention, I get it. For Merlin's sake you little bugger, hold still!'

He entered his room and saw the owl, a white one that looked like it had been standing on the side of the road beside a mud puddle, tapping excitedly on the window and then hooting like a stray cat. Kenneth had crossed over in a second and yanked the window open_**;**_ immediately_**,**_ the owl had calmed and thrust its beak out to Kenneth and dropped the letter in his timid outstretched hand.

He was never really sure about owls, some were horrid and nasty_**,**_ and some were kind and quite nice_**,**_ but he never wanted to dangle his fingers in front of their beaks to find out. He was good with just the take, and say good bye.

The owl flapped around a bit on the window sill when Kenneth safely had the letter in his hand like it was preparing itself mentally for takeoff. It bobbed up and down at least five more times before Kenneth had the want to reach out and just push it gently off the window and watch it fly away, leaving him in peace.

The owl bent down with one last bob before launching itself haphazardly off the window sill and wobbling off into the air, in all honestly the owl looked drunk. It must belong to Remus_**,**_ or he must have borrowed it from another wizard or witch. The Ministry owls were all very sleek and quite beautiful; they also wore purple collars with M.O.M printed on them.

His mother or his friends sending him an owl would be somewhat amazing, he was sure it wouldn't happen for a long time unless it was Inez sending him a letter, begging, pleading him to turn. He shuddered at the thought and almost checked his arm to see if he hadn't been branded in his sleep. Watching the owl leave, Kenneth looked down briefly at the letter.

The hand writing on the front was elegant and neat that wrote his name but the jagged line that swiped underneath was harsh and brutal. He brushed his fingertips across the envelope that concealed the letter and threw it down against the pillows of his bed. He'd read it later. Right now, he was sure he had a deal to sign.

He turned back and walked through the door, with a fleeting glimpse at the letter on his pillows. It meant he'd be able to spend more time with Remus, how wonderful. His crush was certainly progressing; he'd gone from liking the man to liking the man a great deal and wanting to ask him out in the time of probably a month. He'd only let himself call it a crush a few nights ago as well, when he'd thought about it. He didn't know how he'd cope if he woke up in the bed Remus had been using after the full moon like last time, probably moan outright.

'What was that?' Mrs Lamprey asked seriously.

'Neighbours_**'**_ kids,' Kenneth said thinking fast and was quite relived that his neighbours actually had kids and that his response was entirely plausible. 'Some new toy,' he added with a shrug and knew he'd played it well when she smiled at him.

Explaining to two very well to do Muggles that an owl had just delivered a letter from a werewolf (yeah, he was one_**,**_ too) about where they would spend the next full moon was a discussion that he never wanted to have in his life.

Mr Lamprey nodded. 'Children,' he said with a deep sigh. 'Now, the reason Susan and I actually came over was to buy the house_**,**_' He said it all in a rush_**,**_ and though Kenneth had realized that was the reason they were here, not just for the appalling coffee that he tried to make, he was taken aback by the way the buyer finally just came out with it. 'We are quite happy to pay the extra for the furniture.'

'I hope you have found somewhere to stay,' Mrs Lamprey added.

'Yes, I have, thank you. So, how are we going to do this?' Kenneth asked_**,**_ leaning forward from the chair he had sat in to rest his arms against his legs.

'Sign a few things**_. _**We have a check for you_**,**_ and it will be as simple as that.'

'I can be out of here by the end of this week,' Kenneth said. That was only a day and a half away but with magic, it would be easy. He saw their eyes widen at the thought of him being able to leave so soon_**,**_ but he nodded distinctly. 'It won't take me long to leave.'

They left half an hour later_**,**_ happy owners of his home, and he happily musing over the cheque they'd given him – a large one at that, probably larger once converted into proper Wizarding currency. His wolf hadn't bothered him all through the exchange. Either it decided not to crop up today_**,**_ or it had resignedly decided that it had to give up its territory.

Strangely_**,**_ for Kenneth there was no stigma or sadness in his leaving. He didn't really care. He'd worked so hard to buy this house when he was just _twenty_, it had been a great deal cheaper then, but leaving wasn't hurting him. Maybe he'd simply known that his new life wasn't going to let him off easily, just because he'd been stupid enough to go outside at night time (it seemed highly unfair), and he had to deal and selling house was the second step – losing all his friends and his parents had been the first.

The money would have made up for any pain he felt at losing the house because of what the Ministry put in place for him seeing what he was, there just wasn't any. He didn't care that the house was gone now, it was no longer his, and he was actually kind of looking forward to moving into the Leaky as well, just for a while anyway.

He'd have to live with this, and he should start treating it more like one big adventure, as basically, that was what it was turning into. He wondered if the hero would get the girl (boy/man/werewolf) like in most adventures.

Leaving all his furniture behind made for a very quick pack up. He didn't care if the Lampreys (such an unfortunate last name) didn't regard kitchen ware as furniture, they were getting it. He was taking the linen because he only had two bed sheets, some duvet covers_**,**_ and they would take up absolutely no room in his bag.

It had always been just him in the house, he had no one else bother about_**,**_ and if any stayed the night they'd either sleep in his bed or on the couch, maybe Kenneth would sleep there if he thought whoever was staying would get pissed because they didn't get the bed. It had always been him; he catered for more people with plates and things like that.

Everything was staying apart from his clothes, personal items, bathroom stuff, linen and photos around the house. His mother had taught him the best packing charm she knew; she had always been a good house witch. All Kenneth had to do was whisper the spell and think of all the items he wanted in his bag, with his wand pointing at that bag and everything would pack itself up. Not very neatly_**,**_ but he tried.

In the excitement of packing he had forgotten all about Remus's letter, but suddenly with a little gasp he flung himself on the bed and grabbed at it. He wondered where they would be spending the night, then promptly scolded himself because he was making something he was scared of sound like a bloody vacation.

They'd be spending it together no doubt, unless Remus had decided to do something else. He lay on his stomach on his bed that was just the mattress and pillows, everything else had been stripped off by the spell. He swatted the letter against his hands and sighed painfully before prying it open, nearly cutting himself on the sharp pristine edges as he did.

It was definitely from Remus, and much to his disappointment, it was a very boring letter. But what had he been expecting? Kenneth snorted_**;**_ he didn't know. The letter just told him where Remus was spending the full moon and invited him to come along as well. Now it didn't just sound like a vacation, it sounded like a party as well.

Remus moved each full moon because he remembered the incident at the Shrieking Shack, he'd started up ghosts stories there_**,**_ and if he stayed in one place for more than one full moon someone was bound to find him at some stage. Any little bleep about any werewolf to the Ministry and there could be some serious trouble for them all. A further downgrade in citizenship probably.

Remus wanted to spend this full moon in a paddock in some English farmer's immense land. Remus was certain that the farmer would not notice if they spent the night somewhere down the back of it, he owned so much land and only used a certain amount of it. The rest was reasonably untouched_**,**_ and he only grazed his animals in the land he used.

Kenneth thought it sounded like a safe bet and was just happy that Remus still wanted to spend the night with him, even though Kenneth would hardly remember any of it anyway. Remus had told Kenneth that plans could change_**,**_ and something might happen_**,**_ and he might have to transform somewhere else.

Kenneth got the idea that Remus's job had a big part to play in where he was able to transform as well as the fact that he liked to move around. He wanted to know what job the older werewolf did as the man had said something about asking if he could help him. Judging by Remus's ragged clothing it could hardly be good pay but a job was a job, and Kenneth would take anything legal.

It must be pretty top secret if Remus couldn't tell him what was going on with the meetings and things like that. But then again he could just not want to tell Kenneth_**,**_ as they hadn't known each other very long. The possibilities were huge. If he was offered the job_**,**_ he'd take it as a chance for more money and to be around Remus more. He hummed happily to himself as he put the letter back in the envelope and threw it in the direction of his bag,

The last night he spent in his flat was very boring indeed, he just slept on his stripped bed with a blanket over him; his head nestled in between the two pillows. Before today he was thinking that he should have a wank in every room of the house before he left, to welcome the Lamprey's and bid his house goodbye. He'd done that when he'd first moved in. He and his mates had a wank in every room to celebrate his ambiguous move – he might have ended up having sex that day but he couldn't really remember as everything had been a blur of alcohol and pleasure.

He didn't celebrate leaving to spend however long was necessary in the hub of London's magical community, he had wanted to_**,**_ but he was taken by sleep before he could do anything else. Maybe he'd have a celebratory wank in the shower in the morning.

* * *

'It's under Kenneth Webber,' Kenneth said to Tom_**,**_ who was giving him that weird toothless smile that he gave everyone. People said Tom could remember each and every one on his costumers, the barkeep was famous for that reason, but Kenneth had come and gone from the Leaky Cauldron several times_**,**_ and Tom had never remembered him.

Tom rubbed his bald head and whistled between the gaps in his teeth, which led Kenneth to wonder how he did it. 'Ah, yes, Mr Webber, gotcha right here. Don't say how long you'll be staying though,' he murmured as he moved out from behind his post and waved his wand in a gloomy fashion at Kenneth's bag.

Kenneth followed the barkeep and his bag as he led him up the stairs out of the pub and up to the rooms.

'I'm not sure how long I'll be staying,' Kenneth said as Tom turned a sharp corner as they reached the top of a dimly lit staircase.

Some doors were flung wide open and the rooms empty, others open just a crack and Kenneth could see candle light flickering through the crack of the door, some doors were slammed tightly_**,**_ and the slight murmur of voices issued from those rooms, others were silent. As far as he could see there were at least ten other rooms above the bar at the Leaky Cauldron.

Tom had led him down another corridor with another five rooms; these ones looked bigger_**,**_ as though there was more to them. Behind three of these doors he could see light peeking out from under them_**,**_ and four doors were shut with no light. It was a dark and gloomy day_**,**_ and the sun was hidden by too many clouds to provide enough light.

'That's all right with us, Mr Webber,' Tom said and led him to the second to last door that had the number 21 written boldly on it.

There must more rooms either on another floor or down another corridor he hadn't seen. 'You can stay as long as you want or need. Watch out,' he added as he pulled his wand away from Kenneth's levitating bag and pointed his wand at the lock of room 21. The bag thudded down to the ground and missed hitting Kenneth in the head by an inch. He flinched away in surprise but picked it up, grunting a little. He'd forgotten how heavy it was as he'd levitated it like Tom had the moment he could.

Tom swung the door open with another toothless grin at Kenneth. Cold wind from the open windows buffeted him as he stepped inside. The room was nicely furbished. A double bed sat in the centre with two small bedside tables on either side. A dark blue couch sat at the foot of the bed_**;**_ Kenneth could see light scratches that drew curved lines along the floor like the couch had been dragged more than once across the wooden floor.

There were two other doors in the room. One was wide open next to the windows that were also open. Inside this door_**,**_ he could see a shower, toilet and sink_**,**_ but that was all. He heaved his bag into the room, kicking it with his shin to give it more space to move. There was a smell as well; of distant ... he struggled to put a name to it. It was a twist of a clean smell that stung his noise and of a deep set musty smell that smelt like as much as everyone had tried they couldn't get rid of it and had decided to cover it up that stinging fresh smell.

'Is this to your liking?' asked Tom, sounding almost nervous like he'd had a spree of people who'd disliked the rooms recently. Kenneth liked it; it was simple and quite nice.

'It's fine_**,**_' Kenneth pulled his bag up into the bed and felt like kicking his shoes off and collapsing onto it. He wasn't tired; he wanted to try out where he'd be sleeping.

'Anything I can getcha?' the barkeep asked, hovering in the doorway and peering into the room.

'I'm great right now,' Kenneth said with a smile. 'But thanks.'

'Hope you'll join us later for a drink,' Tom said and nodded before tottering out of the doorway and closing the door behind him.

Kenneth kicked his shoes off and sniffed; the smell was still stinging his nose and burning his senses sharply. The second door in the room drew his attention now_**,**_ and he walked across to it. It was directly across from the bed and the couch and he could crawl there without touching the floor and open the door if he wanted to. But he didn't think now was really the time.

The closed door was a closet with rows of wood protruding from the back wall on which things could be places. Several coat hangers hung in the closet as well and much, to Kenneth's amusement, an old fashioned Muggle shoe buffer. He was delighted by it and wondered why the hell it was there, but maybe a lot of other people who stayed here took in the same interest in it as he did upon seeing it. Having a Muggle shoe buffer in his closet was very amusing.

The open windows were still emitting blasts of cold air into the room; he crossed over to them quickly and pulled them shut with a snap. From the windows_**,**_ he could see down to the street of Diagon Alley. Drops of rain that must have started to fall while Kenneth had entered the Leaky Cauldron were stopping a few metres above the heads of the people in the crowded street. Kenneth had loved that charm placed on Diagon Alley to stop people getting wet when it rained.

He loved a lot about Diagon Alley_**,**_ and now he was able to spend a lot of time just milling about the street, pondering life and many other questions that needed definitive answers. After that maybe he could write a book. The Misadventures of Kenneth Mortlock Webber, he'd call it. It'd be bigger than Lockhart's.

He snorted and this time collapsed down onto the bed, ready to test the new bed.

**

* * *

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	8. New Faith

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title: New Faith**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Guy Again! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

* * *

There was something oddly eerie about looking down on the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley at night. Sure_,_ the street was lit up by the street lamps overhead and bathed the wet street in a glistening kind of light. The people who walked down Diagon Alley at that time of night made themselves look a bit suspicious_,_ too.

Each and every one of them walking down after ten pm wore a hood that was pulled up over their faces_,_ leaving plenty of room for speculation about their wholesomeness. The rain didn't hit the ground, and it seemed to have stopped_,_ so there was really no need for hoods. The evening had warmed up drastically from the temperature of the day, which had been a bit of a surprise_,_ but the cold certainly wasn't going to affect the warmth of their face. Again_,_ hoods weren't really needed.

It could be said that Diagon Alley had time fashions rather than fashions at the time. Perhaps it was common for people to go outside with hoods drawn up around their faces after ten in the evening. Interestingly_,_ half way up the street all these hooded people turned a corner and shuffled down a side street. People would have had a freak out about all these hooded people wandering around if they'd all been wearing black cloaks and looking a little bit sulky. But they weren't all wearing the same coloured cloaks, some wore purple, some green, some grey, and one a striking red colour_,_ and only one wore black.

'Some hooded cloak party,' Kenneth decided in disdain and shuffled backwards for a few feet and flopped down on the bed.

He emitted a big sigh. He knew what he'd thought the hooded people had been at first until he'd seen the one wearing the vibrant red colour passing under the lamplight. He'd actually nearly had a relief overload when he'd seen the red cloak.

What Inez had said was bothering him deeply as he'd had time to mull over it some more as he wasn't busy trying to sell his house. He had a lot of time to think about this and had spent most of the day thinking about how freaky Inez had turned and then what had sprung up was what Remus had commented about briefly. Inez had said that You-Know-Who was back_,_ and Remus had said it earlier. Kenneth had shrugged it off when Remus had said it as a let's think about it later_;_ when Inez had wanted him to believe in You-Know-Who's return and then tried to make him join ranks_,_ it had left him somewhat frightened.

He was glad he hadn't had time to think about what her talk with him had meant as he'd been busy for an unemployed man. So, maybe You-Know-Who wasn't just trying to offer Kenneth a better life, that proposition was appealing, but it seemed by the way that Inez went around it that You-Know-Who was wanting to build up some sort of dark lot group of people – if the man had actually come back. He wasn't sure if he wanted to believe that You-Know-Who was back because of all the terror he'd been told of the first time.

He wanted to believe that Harry Potter, the boy wonder as he knew him, had defeated him for some reason that no one would ever figure out. And frankly he would be quite happy if that still remained as they had all though_t_. He didn't care that no one knew what had really happened with Harry Potter, he was still happy to accept that and just move on knowing _that_ the world was quite safe.

There was a lot of evidence to suggest that You-Know-Who had come back. For starters_**,**_ Inez had gone further off her rocker than Kenneth had ever deemed possible_**,**_ and secondly_**,**_ Remus. Remus Lupin seemed a truthful man_**,**_ and Kenneth didn't really want to believe he had lied to him by saying that. If Remus thought that You-Know-Who had come back, wasn't that reason enough for him to think so_**,**_ too? Still, he had not known the older werewolf for a very long time_**,**_ but the man did have an open flair for honesty. He often said 'I'm not going to lie to you,' and Kenneth liked that. He hated being strung along in the dark like the Ministry was doing. Fudge didn't believe many of the claims that the man the Wizarding world feared the most was back. Kenneth wanted to know the truth, but how many others would be keen to know that_**,**_ too?

Kenneth would like to know the truth and then try and move on as best as possible. But until the Minister found out the truth it would be difficult for anyone else to know what to believe. It was a confusing subplot to the story that was now revolving around this man.

He knew that Harry Potter and Dumbledore's claims that You-Know-Who was back had led to their sanity being questioned. And honestly until all this new information had cropped up just for him (Inez's request and Remus's comments) he had thought they might be slightly bonkers_**,**_ too_**,**_ but then again_**,**_ he had just been going along with what the rest of the Wizarding world thought because there was really no evidence to support this. Two people, two as they were notable people, had said oh, yes he's back and expected everyone else to believe them. Yes, a young man had died but that was the Triwizard tournament_**,**_ and it was banned for that reason_:_ to stop deaths.

If Remus or someone who knew what they were talking about (not Inez, he was a little bit wary – terrified – of her right now) sat him down and talked him through why You-Know-Who was back, he'd be more inclined to believe their tale. He'd ask Remus. He'd add it to the list of things he wanted to ask Remus.

Topping that list was the date question, then possibly the You-Know-Who question, then perhaps the 'are you sure werewolves don't mate for life' question. They were three big questions and one that Kenneth would probably keep putting off and off for fear of rejection. He felt like finding a flower and tearing off the petals. He will say yes ... he won't say yes. It would be an effective way of passing the time anyway.

Time went by boringly_**,**_ and Kenneth found himself sitting gloomily in the equally gloomy bathroom. It was hard to say exactly why the bathroom was so gloomy_**;**_ it just was. For such a white pristine bathroom being defined as gloomy was something of an achievement. Kenneth was sitting on the lid of the toilet staring off into space. It was late at night_**,**_ and after he'd spent a good long time watching the hooded people and then musing about You-Know-Who, he found himself terribly bored. All the shops in Diagon Alley (respectively) were closed, the Leaky had no one interesting to talk to_**,**_ and that was strange as it was only 10:30, he didn't feel like a drink.

He was approaching that time of month again_**;**_ the full moon was close. Merlin, he made it sound like he was a woman. He did feel sorry for female werewolves though, that truly would be horrible. He was generally quite a baby when it came to blood and was happy when he didn't have to see it. He couldn't imagine having to go through that and then experience the lovely pain of the change. It must be pure hell for women werewolves.

There was a light knock on the door to his room. Kenneth rose lazily from the seat of the toilet and rubbed his eyes before sauntering off to open. Halfway across to the door he stopped short. That smell, that delicious, delicious smell was here. A little grin with a hop and a skip he was at the door, swinging it wide open.

'What're you doing here?' he asked Remus somewhat rudely because the werewolf's arrival was completely unannounced. Not that Kenneth wasn't happy to see him, it just unexpected. 'Did I even tell you I'd moved?' he asked peering forward a little. 'I am happy to see you. I just didn't expect to see you,' gorgeous Remus, his mind added, 'here.'

'Some things can't be said in a letter,' Remus told him as Kenneth stepped aside letting him in. 'You never know who could intercept them.'

'What about the dodgy man next door?' Kenneth asked. 'Honestly, he's quite strange_,_ and I would not be surprised_,_' Remus tried to hide a slight laugh and shook his head.

'Anyway,' Remus said. 'Dumbledore wanted me to talk to you personally. I turned up at your house_**,**_ but they said you had moved. I thought this would be the most logical place to check_**,**_' Remus frowned at him. 'Why did you move?'

'Money, change, needed money, wanted change,' Kenneth said vaguely. 'My old place could get a bit lonely_,_ too.'

He was horrified with himself. Did Remus even notice how strongly he was coming on to him here? That last line, Merlin, it was embarrassing. Remus didn't even falter or look at Kenneth oddly when he spoke_,_ and Kenneth was actually glad that that last line had gone right over his head. 'Why does Dumbledore want you to talk to me?'

'I asked about getting that job for you,' Remus said.

'You shouldn't have,' Kenneth said quickly_,_ bringing up his modest side. 'Seriously, I can get a job for myself.'

'People won't hire a werewolf. I tried everywhere when I needed one.'

'But it might have changed now.'

'You know very well that it hasn't changed in the slightest. Do you want this job or not?' Remus asked sternly. Kenneth froze at the command in Remus's voice and nodded. He had the feeling Remus wouldn't be happy if he refused. 'He wants to know if he can trust you first before he gives away all the secrets that you have to know.'

'Your job is that secretive?'

'Yes,' Remus said. 'It is. You have to see him because I can't tell much about it that's why you need to see Dumbledore. I can tell you what we do though. We try and prevent Voldemort from carrying out his plans.'

'Does mean that since you can't tell me anything, Dumbledore is your Secret-Keeper?' Kenneth asked, idly pretending not to have heard that name being spoken - a slip of the tongue, he was sure. He'd had some experience with the Fidelius charm; he wasn't very fond of it due to those experiences either.

Remus stopped short and smiled a twisted smile. 'Very good,' he said. 'That's correct. I can't tell you anything else except that we are called the Order of the Phoenix, have you heard of them before?'

'Some,' Kenneth replied. 'I've heard a bit about them_**,**_' He sank down onto the bed that was behind him and looked up at Remus. 'And you want me to join?'

Remus nodded. 'Unless you have other alliances with Death Eaters, then yes, I'd like for you to join.'

'But why?' Kenneth asked dizzily. 'That isn't the definition of a job. I've heard what happened to the first Order. Half of them died. Edgar Bones, Caradoc Dearborn, Benjy Fenwick and his bits! Harry Potter's parents were killed by You-Know-Who himself. This is an early death you're offering me_**,**_' He rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. 'Merlin,' he added shortly and looked back up at Remus. He met the werewolf's eyes as he sighed deeply and decisively. 'I could really do with a drink now.'

'Dumbledore would like to induct another werewolf in the Order as a lot of them are turning over to join the Death Eaters. I asked him to let you in as mainly a help for me because I generally go alone as Sirius cannot leave the house. But he thought it was a great idea, Kenneth. He wants you to help us. If you're in league with Death Eaters already, tell me now.'

'I'm not,' Kenneth assured him. 'Dumbledore really wants me to join?' he asked somewhat breathlessly.

He'd been asked to two join to polar opposite allegiances in the past couple of weeks. And he knew that this was the better one. He closed his eyes, did he want to join? Spend more time with Remus, yes that was a positive. Probably end up getting himself killed early, he'd heard about what had happened to many of the Order members from the past. And getting himself killed wasn't generally something he was too keen on.

A weight on the edge of the bed next to him made Kenneth open his eyes and look over. Remus had sat down awkwardly next to him and grinned softly at him when Kenneth glanced up.

'The thing is,' Remus said. 'It doesn't pay much, nothing really but it will give you a place to live free of charge.'

Kenneth played with the hair around his face as he thought this over. He sat up and straight. 'Ok,' he murmured. 'When does Dumbledore want to see me?'

'Are you sure you want to do this?'

'Would you stop trying to make me and then ask me after persuading me if I really want to_?_' Kenneth said and shook his head. 'It's confusing. Yes, I'm sure_,_ and I've made my mind up.'

'It will be dangerous.'

'Then you shouldn't be doing it on your own, should you?' Kenneth grinned_,_ and Remus clapped him on the back. 'Do you always visit so late?' he asked. 'Blue Cherry House you were late_,_ and now it's way past visiting hours. I thought job proposals usually waited until about mid morning or lunch.'

'At the house I got the feeling you stayed up to wait for me,' said Remus gently. 'Even though you had no idea what night or what time I'd come, it still felt like you were waiting for me_**,**_' He said it like he'd never said anything so forward in his life despite his occasionally brutal honesty.

'Maybe I was,' Kenneth said with a yawn. 'Why?' he asked, suddenly full of energy as to why Remus had decided to bring that up when the current strand of conversation hadn't really called for it. 'Why, did you like having someone wait up for you?'

'No one ever really has before. It's not like anyone would want to. Hang around and wait for a werewolf,' he added with a light grimace. 'It was nice. It just felt like you waited for me.'

Kenneth realized his face was flushed a deep red and wondered if Remus had seen how brightly he was blushing. He grinned awkwardly and nodded in a rather stupid jerky motion. He tried his luck. 'Being a werewolf,' he started, 'is that in any way hard on the, uh, the love life?'

'Rather,' Remus said. 'People tend to not want to have anything to do with you once they found out what you are.'

'That's exactly why I think we should have a werewolf community!'

'Are you still thinking about that?' Remus asked in a kind of exasperated sort of way.

'Oh, yes! Been thinking about it for a long time. I think it's a brilliant idea. Get ourselves a nice bit of unplottable land and we'd be all set to go. Don't tell me you don't think it's a good idea?'

'It is an interesting idea,' Remus said. 'You have some very high hopes for it.'

'I think it would be fun. No crazy or evil werewolves because that would spoil it. Do you think if there was something like that everything would be easier?'

'I wouldn't count on it,' Remus said_**,**_ sounding sullen. 'People wouldn't want it to happen; they'd think we were starting up a revolt.'

'That's why we'd make it on unplottable land!' Kenneth exclaimed. 'Because they could think whatever they wanted_**,**_ but they still wouldn't be able to find us.'

'You really do need this job,' Remus said with a sweet laugh. 'You've had far too much time for thinking.'

'When does Dumbles want to see me then?' Kenneth asked.

Remus simply raised his eyebrow at Kenneth's nickname for the man but didn't say anything about it. 'Soon as possible,' the werewolf said. 'Early tomorrow?' he asked Kenneth.

'I have nothing to do, my schedule is wide open!' Kenneth said and flung his arms open to illustrate his point. 'How am I going to get there?' He knew Apparition was off, always had been. He didn't know about Flooing though, maybe there was a connected fireplace somewhere in Hogwarts.

'Floo,' Remus said after thinking about that for a while. 'At the moment Professor McGonagall usually keeps her fireplace open.'

Kenneth nodded. 'You call her "Professor" even though you've worked at Hogwarts,' he observed. His vision suddenly blurred as he tried to stifle down a yawn but with little use. He heard Remus move lightly on the bed and a hand on his shoulder and then push down rising to his feet.

'You're tired,' Remus said with remorse when Kenneth finished his large yawn. 'I'm sorry for coming late, I should go.' He was half way towards the door when Kenneth rose from the bed and followed him.

'Full moon in a couple of days,' he said_**,**_ watching Remus near the doorway.

'I know. Have you been all right? Your wolf, has it been acting up?'

'No, I've been good_**,**_' Kenneth stuffed his hands in his pockets and swayed awkwardly on his heels. 'How have you been?'

'Oh, fine, fine,' Remus said, nodding. 'I've been all right.'

'What do you think ... do you think it'll be like last time?' asked Kenneth. 'Will that be normal from now on? I guess I'm fine if it will be.'

'Who knows,' Remus said. 'I really don't know, I'm sorry, Kenneth. I can't say.'

'It's ok,' Kenneth said quickly. 'But you'll be there right? Still going to crash in that farmer's field?' he said with a grin. 'Should be fun.'

'If Dumbledore feels he can trust you, you should be able to come back to Headquarters after the full moon,' Remus said. 'That is – if you don't mind people seeing you.'

'I don't mind,' Kenneth said. 'If they have a problem that's not my fault. They can stick it up-'

'I have to go now,' Remus said quickly and with a flushed smile. That was the second time that he'd stopped Kenneth when he was about to say something to insult his friends. Kenneth found it adorable. 'Tomorrow,' he said with a nod.

'Tomorrow,' Kenneth said, smiling at Remus as he shut the door behind him_**,**_ and he could hear him walking down the corridor and then jogging down the stairs.

Kenneth slapped himself around the head before stepping backwards until he found the bed behind him and fell back onto it. He let out a great wallowing sigh. He was becoming more and more obvious_**,**_ and yet Remus wasn't picking it up. Kenneth was stupid in asking him out again and times were becoming more serious as full moon approached_**,**_ and his interview with Dumbledore was tomorrow.

The castle was humming, low soft murmurs of students and teachers. Kenneth was buzzing_**,**_ too. He'd never been to Hogwarts before and stopped every second to look at something and peer at the portraits they passed on the way to the Headmaster's office. The castle was gorgeous_**,**_ and Kenneth couldn't believe that he had never been here before. What a waste. He was slightly disappointed that he hadn't attended either. The school reminded him of romance and sex in the empty classrooms. He'd snorted out loud when he'd thought of that, causing Remus to shoot him a strange look. Kenneth did wonder what house he would have been sorted into if he'd come to the school.

From what he knew of himself he was loyal enough and reasonably good people person for Hufflepuff, and those traits also applied to Gryffindor. He didn't think he was anywhere near being studious or sharp (in mind) for Ravenclaw, though the idea of girls and boys studying away was rather tempting. He had wit enough for Slytherin but would have hated being in that house especially if he'd been bitten during the time frame he could attend the school in, a dark creature in the dark house. He liked to think he would have been in Gryffindor. It would have been a tossup between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff_**,**_ but his temper that did come through when he was really upset or angered would tip the scale and show him the door towards the red lions. Gryffindor would probably be the best place for him.

If he had been in Hufflepuff he probably would have ended up sitting around and mooching. To his understanding the Gryffindors had all the adventures at Hogwarts.

After those thoughts had gone from his mind_**,**_ and he had sorted himself into Gryffindor the castle really took his attention. It was stunning. Bits of the castle looked like they didn't fit together quite right, and ceilings and ornaments outlining the ceiling met at odd angles_**,**_ but Kenneth liked that. It didn't look like sloppy workmanship, it was beautiful.

Remus knew his way well and guided Kenneth through the warren of passages and corridors, something he'd never have been able to do if on his own. Hogwarts was like a labyrinth of complicated and intriguing design structures that couldn't have all been constructed at the same time because the style differed. The style Kenneth had first seen looked like the foundations of the building and then as time went on and Hogwarts grew, it seemed as though other pieces had been added.

It wasn't just the design that caught his attention the paintings and statues did also. There seemed to be no lack of them in the castle_**,**_ and every level they walked along was bustling with paintings. All of which spoke as the pair of them walked past. Some were very rude others complimentary. The ones who shouted out rude comments if they hadn't been paintings Kenneth was sure he would have smacked them one – or seriously thought about it.

On the way up from Professor McGonagall's office Kenneth had stopped absolutely captivated absolutely. It was a painting of a beautiful women_**,**_ and Kenneth stopped to gawk at her. She was gorgeous. Creamy blonde hair that fell in soft curls past her shoulders, and add striking green eyes and soft smooth skin to the picture_**,**_ and Kenneth was stunned. She was the type of painting that young men and women yearned to have and be. She didn't speak to him like many of the others had, just softly waved her hand at him and smiled showing pearly white teeth, and Kenneth thought she blushed as she ran a hand through her hair like he did so often. Remus actually had to come back and get him.

'Who is she?' he asked as Remus tugged on his arm, 'that girl in the painting.'

'I don't know,' the man said apologetically. 'She doesn't speak. One of my friends was absolutely entranced by her one year and used to stare at her for hours. Many of the other students did that, too. I think she must have some Veela blood in her.'

'Does that go into paintings as well?'

'Well, the beauty still remains, doesn't it?'

'That's true. But Merlin, she was beautiful!' Kenneth said. 'She was ... perfection.' Kenneth had the urge to break out into a theatre like moment and spin around and sing about her beauty.

Remus gave a short smile that showed memories and suddenly stopped abruptly beside a statue of a stone gargoyle that looked very regal and important captured in stone.

'I don't think this one is gorgeous,' Kenneth murmured to Remus. 'But whatever your tastes are ...'

'This is the entrance to Dumbledore's office,' Remus said with a smirk at Kenneth who immediately apologized. Remus then whispered a password that Kenneth couldn't distinguish.

The stone gargoyle suddenly rumbled like the stone underneath was shifting majorly_**,**_ and it was about to go_**,**_ too. The statue leapt aside revealing a solid stone wall behind it. The wall split in two with a crack and slipped out of sight to show a spiralling stone staircase that twisted up around a corner out of sight. Remus stepped up on the staircase_**,**_ and Kenneth suddenly felt a tiny bit reluctant to follow_**,**_ but when Remus beckoned him forward he sighed and stepped up on the stairs. As soon as he was on the stairs_**,**_ they rumbled like the statue had and jerked forward, taking them up and following the curve of the direction they ran in.

A very solid highly polished oak door stood in their way. The golden knocker Remus reached out for was shaped like a griffins head. The door swung open by its own accord in the way that leads people to go into stealth mode_**,**_ but the room that the door opened to them was another gorgeous example of architecture as its best.

The doors opened into a large circular room. There were several large windows that showed off the grounds outside. The corner of the lake he'd heard so much about was visible in one corner and what looked to be a Quidditch pitch in the other. The other thing in the room that caught his attention long before the Headmaster himself, was the wall dedicated to portraits who all sneered importantly down at them as he looked up at them slightly mesmerized. The beautiful girl wasn't there, much to his disappointment.

'Previous Headmasters and mistresses of Hogwarts,' a low husky voice told him_**,**_ and Kenneth turned around to see the familiar bearded face of Dumbledore that littered the newspapers often behind titles such as "Loony" or "is Distant Dumbledore Past his Time?"

'Professor,' Kenneth said loosely and pointed to the wall. 'Is the girl there? Who is she?' he asked as that was really all he could think about.

'Sorry,' he heard Remus beside his side say. 'He has just seen the painting of the girl on the fifth floor.'

'Understandable, understandable,' Dumbledore said with a wave of his hand that dislodged his beard from its place on his forearm. 'She is a very astonishing young woman especially to those who lay eyes on her for the first time. As she is just a painting it will not take long for Kenneth to return to normal. It would be wise not to walk back past her,' Dumbledore advised Remus.

'Professor,' Kenneth said suddenly like all thoughts of the girl had been wiped from his mind. He smiled sheepishly. 'Good morning, Professor.'

'Good morning to you, Kenneth Webber,' said Dumbledore in good humour. 'Sit please,' he said and gave his wand a tiny wave. Two chairs appeared behind them_**,**_ and Kenneth sat immediately. 'Remus has told me that you are interested, which I am greatly pleased by. Remus has been having to go on missions by himself, he usually would have gone with Sirius,' Kenneth kept hearing that name being tossed around but couldn't for the life of him remember why it sounded so important, 'and as you need something to occupy your time with, you seem to be a perfect candidate.'

'I'll just try not to get myself killed_**,**_ and I should be fine, right?' Kenneth asked not rudely, just wanting to see how Dumbledore would react to his comment about the disaster of the previous Order.

'Generally, we hope so,' Dumbledore said kindly. 'This makes it much easier for me telling you what might happen because you know of the dangers, splendid! And yet you are still happy to go ahead with this, you would have been a true Gryffindor_**,**_' Kenneth couldn't help to beam at this; everyone knew Gryffindor was the best of the houses. Dumbledore turned to face Remus. 'Do you trust Kenneth?'

Remus nodded. 'I wouldn't have asked you to consider him if I didn't trust him.'

'What about the wolf?' Dumbledore asked plainly as if he was used to dealing with this everyday and found it completely normal.

'It doesn't have the slightest problem with Kenneth.'

Dumbledore nodded and trilled happily. 'What about your wolf_**,**_ Kenneth?' the professor asked_**,**_ turning his aged eyes towards him. 'How is it? I'm thinking purely in the safety of the residents at the Headquarters, where you will be staying. The place is big enough for everyone there to have a room when the students are still at school. It is easier to have everyone on hand, you see.'

'Sometimes acts up,' Kenneth said quietly. 'I, uh – don't really know because I haven't even had two full moons yet_**,**_' He shrugged, turning to Remus who hopefully could give Dumbledore more insight.

'Manageable,' Remus said for him, smiling at him as he did. 'Very manageable, his wolf is really quite pleasant. But that is only judging by the first full moon. There have only been a few incidents of great stress and anger Kenneth has told me about_**,**_ and those were easy to control_**,**_ and he went back to his normal self in a matter of minutes. There is hardly a danger around him, except on the full moon,' Remus added bluntly.

'You are lucky to have a mentor like Remus, Kenneth,' Dumbledore said. 'Now to the nitpicky questions, which I really do not like asking as they are rather personal_**,**_ but I need to know that I can trust you. I hope you do not mind_**,**_ Kenneth. I will know that you are lying if you do. Firstly, do you have any other allegiances you feel that we should know about?'

'I've heard that one before,' Kenneth said, chuckling lightly. 'I don't, not that I'm aware of anyway.'

'Your parents?' Dumbledore asked.

'Carlos Webber and Ruth Webber, my father is a Muggle born_**,**_ and my mother is half-blood. If it means anything, they won't have anything to do with me after I was bitten_**,**_' Kenneth decided to say that in case Dumbledore thought there could be something running in the family.

'As is the sad case with most,' said Dumbledore.

'My brother works for the Ministry, so he's always been a little well, deluded. I used to work for Gringotts and helping with the exchange process for foreign wizards and sometimes Muggles. I didn't work in the actual bank,' he added when Dumbledore peered at him. 'I was kind of a side line character_**,**_' And Merlin was he glad for that. It meant he could still go back to his ex place of work with ease and not feel pressured by those he'd worked with seeing him.

The wizened professor beamed at him and adjusted his spectacles on the edge of his noise. 'If you will excuse us for a moment, Kenneth, I have several things I would like to talk to Remus about.'

Kenneth rose and nearly tripped over his own feet as he made his way to the door outside, thinking about listening in the conversation but then deciding Dumbledore would probably know and deem him untrustworthy. He didn't in any way want to be defined as that.

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**hint I love feed back /hint  
**I hope you enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the other chapters and the rest of the story!


	9. Mad World

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Mad World

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Other Guy! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

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'What did he say?' Kenneth asked_**,**_ nearly latching himself onto Remus in the urge to receive news. 'Does Dumbledore want me to go back in?' he said_**,**_ glancing over Remus' shoulder and into the office behind.

Remus closed the heavy oak door behind with a soft _ssthhhuunnk_. He looked like he was teasing Kenneth by standing in front of the door and keeping his mouth shut. The werewolf simply dipped his head down once, no smile on his face whatsoever**,** but Kenneth could see the cheeky gleam in his eyes, something he hadn't seen before. He hadn't seen that Remus' eyes were flecked with amber before either. Kenneth caught himself staring and pulled his eyes away to the oak door behind the man.

'Well?' he asked a little impatiently.

'You need to go and see him again,' Remus said_**,**_ this time smiling at Kenneth.

He touched a finger to Kenneth's chest and said softly_**,**_ 'The Secret-Keeper would like to tell you his secret.' Remus pushed the door open again and nudged Kenneth inside. Kenneth, a bit flushed from the way Remus' finger tip had nearly slipped inside the folds of his shirt, entered the office.

Dumbledore was standing beside the window as Kenneth slipped inside. In the endless amount of photographs the Daily Prophet seemed to publish each day, Dumbledore looked quite young and spritely. But seeing him in person Kenneth was able to realize how old he was. He'd always thought of Dumbledore as someone who would be around forever, because when he was growing up Dumbledore was a prominent figure and now still was. Kenneth could easily imagine Dumbledore living forever and having very little harm come of it.

The man looked as though he could, he had been around for what felt like forever. It was forever to Kenneth. It occurred to him that when Dumbledore did die, a fact that could not be ignored when he looked upon the Professor, that there would be a huge amount of uproar. The Ministry was the centre of the magical community in England_**,**_ but Hogwarts was definitely right up there in the importance of it_**,**_ and Dumbledore was quite a big figure in the world today.

The chaos that ensued would be interesting after the Professor died_**,**_ but Kenneth was confident that the elderly already striking white bearded man had a few good years left in him yet. If there was one thing everyone knew, it was that you don't mess with Dumbledore unless of course you're Fudge**,** but then you whine about it before doing anything.

'Welcome back,' the Professor said to him as if he had been gone a long time. Longer than the ten minutes Kenneth had been gone for. 'Are you familiar with the Fidelius charm?'

'Yes,' Kenneth said quietly**,** and when Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, he continued. 'It allows the user to keep a secret that only they can tell to people. If the Secret-Keeper dies_**,**_ they take the secret with them to the grave.' He could tell _**that**_ Dumbledore had been teaching far too long as he expected Kenneth who didn't even attend his school to tell him what the Fidelius charm did. And though Kenneth was more than happy to tell the Headmaster, he was sure that he didn't ask Remus or anyone else in the Order what spells did for extra brownie points. Kenneth didn't really mind, it was probably his age that kept Dumbledore doing that. He was only twenty-four.

'Correct,' Dumbledore said with ease. 'It also means that it stops others from telling the secret who know it. Only the Secret-Keeper can tell his or her secret.'

Kenneth was left at a loss of things to say. Surely it wouldn't be polite to ask him to tell his secret. The idea of the Fidelius charm was that the keeper gave the secret away freely. 'Am I trustworthy then?' he asked_**,**_ knowing that Dumbledore must have discussed it with Remus_**,**_ and Kenneth wanted to know what conclusion Dumbledore had come to.

Remus had said he was about to be given the secret which could be anything. Remus was able to tell him about the Order of the Phoenix and what they did but that was it. Surely most of the names of the people involved should be kept a secret to stop what happened last time happening again.

Dumbledore nodded. 'It's going to be very simple if you turn out not to be,' the man said calmly pacing his office back to his desk. 'One simply memory charm_**,**_ and you'll forget everything. I am going to trust you and give you my secret. If you do prove that we cannot trust you_**,**_ I will perform a memory charm on you_**,**_ and you will forget everything that has happen since Remus first mentioned the Order to you.'

Kenneth nodded. That wasn't that bad. It was great that Dumbledore thought he could trust him and was allowing him to join the Order purely for helping out Remus. Kenneth liked that. He liked it a lot. 'You can trust me a hundred percent, Professor,' Kenneth said with a soft smile.

'Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix are at number twelve, Grimmauld Place,' Dumbledore said loosely_,_ and Kenneth was surprised that he just said it. It just came out; it had to be the secret. Dumbledore must feel he was able to trust him_**,**_ but Kenneth wasn't sure he would even trust himself. There was plenty that could slip out when the wolf came through on the odd occasion. 'I do trust you,' he said with a smile at Kenneth who blinked back in return.

'Remus has agreed to escort you there right now as there will be others who want to meet you and probably discuss whether they_**,**_ too_**,**_ can trust you or not.'

'Fair enough.'

'Your mission will be to go on missions with Remus as he needs help on them. He can do them himself_**,**_ and it's probably safer with one person but with two people ...' Dumbledore drew off. 'Two people can look after each other. Keep each other safe.'

'What's my first mission, then?' Kenneth asked excitedly. This all sounded very heroic.

'Not for a while,' Dumbledore said with a light chuckle. 'Firstly you need to settle into Grimmauld Place and endure the full moon. Only your second_**,**_ I understand.'

'Yes, Professor, only my second.'

'Then I do not think that you will be going on any missions with Remus anytime soon. Although_**,**_ he does say that your wolf is rather gentle on the full moon.' Dumbledore was smiling at him as if he loved to talk about werewolves like it was one of his favourite topics to discuss. 'I suspect you will ask me what kind of missions you will be undertaking.'

'Yeah, I was getting there.'

'Whatever we need,' Dumbledore said. 'At the moment it is very likely that you and Remus will be doing something about the amount of werewolves joining the Death Eaters as that number rises all the time.'

'Because he can give them a better life ...' Kenneth mused to himself zoning out from Dumbledore's presence as he remembered what Inez had told him. 'Do you really think he could?'

'No,' Dumbledore said bluntly. 'He could not. If given control, whether he takes it or is offered it, he would continue to do what he has only known for so long. Kill, hurt and that is all. I do believe he could be capable of much better things_**,**_ but he has only known that for so long that it has become all he knows.'

'I see,' Kenneth said, puzzled. He didn't really want a full account of what Dumbledore knew about You-Know-Who and was quite happy for the elderly wizard to leave that strange and bizarre sentence as it was. Though it did hint that Dumbledore knew You-Know-Who as he spoke about him quite generally, he could have taught him in school.

'Well!' Dumbledore said somewhat joyously. 'This position does not mean you get paid. You more or less belong to the Order, but you do get accommodation_**,**_ and Molly Weasley really is a lovely cook. You must have intense loyalty to keeping the world as we know it safe,' the Headmaster added in a fashion that could easily be out of a movie.

'Oh, I can do that,' said Kenneth drawing himself up. 'I can do that very easily, Professor.'

'Good,' the Professor said with a smile at him. 'Go now,' he added. 'Remus will take you to Grimmauld Place now to get acquainted with your new home.' He nodded to Kenneth to leave and retreat towards the door.

Kenneth walked towards the door_**,**_ but halfway across the office he turned and felt the uncomfortable feeling of all the eyes on the wall just watching him as he turned. It was a strange thing to have dead yet un-dead eyes upon him. The Professor looked up_**,**_ and Kenneth could see his blue eyes looking back over him as he glanced back. 'Thank you,' Kenneth said_**,**_ attempting a small half smile in the Professor's direction.

'Do not thank me just yet,' the Professor replied. 'You may have an unwelcome reception at Grimmauld Place. Some of the members don't seem too happy I have been able to trust you this easily.' Dumbledore scratched his chin. 'I sent an owl ahead,' he said when Kenneth shot him intrigued look. 'Go,' Dumbledore said firmly.

'Yeah, but thanks anyway,' Kenneth said with a smile and hurried out. He pushed against the oak door and must have dislodged Remus from against it because there was a light yelp of surprise emitted. The door was pulled in the direction Kenneth pushed_**,**_ and he nearly fell out on top of Remus who caught him easily and steadied him.

'Careful there,' he murmured as Kenneth straightened up.

'So I move into Grimmauld place?' Kenneth asked him running a hand through his hair that had started to feel a little too smoothed over for his liking. He'd used to like it neat and tidy but now as it was longer he liked it to be scruffy and have a slightly uncared for look about it. This new scruffiness that the wolf brought about suited him, he thought. He liked that_**,**_ and he was sure that showed as he kept touching it and running his hands through it a lot. He did have a bit of a thing for hair. 'What's wrong with staying where I am?'

'Wouldn't you run out of money eventually?' Remus asked him, pulling him lightly into the moving stairs with him.

'Eventually,' Kenneth said. 'But you forget, I just sold my house_**,**_ and I've a mini fortune sitting in my vault now. Seriously, I could holiday in France for a while. Germany maybe, I think of werewolves and vampires when I think of Germany,' Kenneth admitted. 'We should have the werewolf community there. It'd be brilliant. How much unplottable land is there in Germany?'

'I'm not sure how much is left,' Remus said. 'No!' he cried grabbing Kenneth by the arm and pulling him back down another staircase. 'We can't go that way; the picture of the girl is down there. If you see her again we'll be in for some trouble.'

'You know what?' Kenneth said spinning around and smiling faintly to let Remus know he was joking. 'I think you're jealous that I think she's absolutely gorgeous. Next time I come here, if you'll let,' he added like a child restricted by his parents, 'I'm going to go and stare at her for hours. She blushed when she saw me, did you know? She's beautiful, stunning.' Remus rolled his eyes and Kenneth touched a hand to his shoulder gently making him look up in surprise. 'But you're ... I'd go as far as to say ... nnnmmhh,' he sighed. He'd gone this far he may as well continue. 'You're really quite something yourself.

'_Wh – ' _Remus cleared his throat. 'What?'

'You, Remus Lupin, you are gorgeous. There I've said it! Maybe I'll stop thinking about it now,' he said and hit the side of his head with his hand.

'It's been a while since someone has told me that,' Remus said, honestly sounding a little guilty.

'It's been a while since someone has waited up for you, told you that you are stunning. Has it been a while since someone has asked you to get a drink with them?' Kenneth asked then winced when what he'd said crossed his mind again. 'Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry. That sounded so cheesy.'

'Kind of nice actually,' Remus said softly. 'Are you actually asking me?'

'Yes,' Kenneth said and nodded vigorously. 'Come and get a drink with me sometime. Anywhere you want, I don't mind. What do you say?' he asked when Remus was silent for a short time.

'I uh ... um, ok, I guess.' Remus started to walk_**,**_ and Kenneth had to jog down the stairs to catch up with him.

'What do you mean "I guess"?' Kenneth asked. 'If you don't want to all you have to say is that you don't.'

'No, I do,' Remus said. 'You mean a date though_**,**_ don't you?'

'If I meant a friendly drink I'd demand it, I wouldn't ask you reasonably politely after telling you I quite fancy you, now would I?'

'I suppose not.'

'I do mean on a date because in all honesty, I find you so fucking gorgeous that half the time I can barely contain myself around you. You smell absolutely delicious, just mm, Merlin. Do you have a cigarette on you anywhere?' Kenneth asked_**, **_and Remus shook his head. 'I really need to calm down,' Kenneth added. 'Was that a little too much at once?'

'Maybe a little too much, though it does bring comfort that that was the wolf who kissed my neck at the house rather than you.'

'I told you, I never make first moves like that. It always tends to come spilling out, like you just witnessed. Are you sure you don't have a cigarette?' Kenneth asked.

He was feeling really jittery and having difficulty containing himself after his rather embarrassing outburst. He'd smoked before_,_ and it calmed him down a great deal. It probably wasn't appropriate to smoke until he was well out of the school.

'You know they are bad for you, cigarettes_**,**_ I mean?' Remus asked softly as he pushed open the door to the Professor McGonagall's office where the fireplace was held. Thankfully she wasn't in there so they could continue their talk.

'I'm going to die anyway, what's the point?' Kenneth asked sourly. 'I don't smoke regularly. But I'm on a small adrenaline rush right now_**,**_ and I need to calm down.' He shuddered when he felt Remus's hand on his back and actually skittered off to the side a little but stayed put when Remus touched him again. 'Urgh, sorry,' he gurgled and cleared his throat. 'See? Do you see?

'My crush on you has reduced me to near incoherency. The least you could do would be to offer to go out with me.'

'You have a crush on me?' Remus asked pulling his hand back.

'Why else would I have asked you out?'

'Are you nervous?' Remus asked, suddenly sounding a little amused. 'You just seem really grumpy and antsy.'

'Antsy? I am not antsy! Yes, I suppose I am nervous because you haven't really agreed to the drink yet.' Kenneth sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 'Confessions, confessions, confessions, leave me really needing a cigarette – Muggle ones. Oh Merlin, I feel like I'm challenging Withnail.' He turned to Remus. 'Just say yes, please_**,**_ and I'll stop talking like a complete nutter and calm down, I promise. Just one drink is all I'm asking, somewhere nice and private and quiet and we can have a firewhisky or a butterbeer, which ever you prefer or something fancier. Say yes rather than "I guess".'

Remus was silent for a few seconds as he observed Kenneth's face_**,**_ but slowly he nodded his head in a soft agreement. Kenneth sighed in relief; at least he hadn't made an arse of himself for nothing. 'But only because you're quite handsome yourself. And,' Remus paused and gave Kenneth one of those small, lingering touches he was quite prone to, 'you really are ... you have a nice body.'

'Well, this certainly kicks me up to a higher level because I don't just like you for your looks. I like your personality as well,' Kenneth said and grinned at him feeling much better Remus had agreed. 'You're kind and sweet, and you tell like it is. I like that, it's ... refreshing.'

'You talk absolute nonsense half the time,' Remus told him seriously. 'It's well, I think it's cute. You're a strange person, Kenneth,' Remus said with a flicker of a smile.

'It's what makes me so charming,' Kenneth said. 'People just can't stay away from my ... uniqueness.'

'Nice choice of words.'

'Thank you.'

'You aren't that different from anyone else though. You're just as nice and kind as the next person, but you're funny as well. And I like that.'

'Good, good,' Kenneth murmured.

He felt strangely free now that Remus knew and had agreed to go on a drink with him. He felt amazingly better for it. He smiled lightly**,** and Remus who grinned awkwardly back. Oh, Merlin, they were going to be like two embarrassed school girls about this.

The front of number 12, Grimmauld Place had literally shoved aside the neighbouring houses_**,**_ and Remus and Kenneth had walked up to it. The first thing Kenneth had noticed was that number 12 was actually missing. But when it revealed itself_**,**_ and the Muggle's in the other houses didn't seem to notice a thing, Kenneth was amazed by the magic placed on the house. That was seriously impressive.

The house popped in between the others and revealed a set of worn steps leading up to the darkened front door, which was just as battered as the steps. The knocker in the centre of the door was shaped as a silvery twisting serpent. The inside hallway of Grimmauld Place was no more cheery than the outside. The hallway was long and lit with old fashioned gas lamps that Kenneth would have had trouble working. The house must be wired up the Muggle electricity platform or whatever they called it.

A large chandelier hung overhead_**,**_ and Kenneth was a little weary of passing underneath it as it looked like it was only just holding onto the ceiling. A lot of the small ornaments that Kenneth saw through the hallway were made up of serpents, even the light switches that must have something to do with the lamps. The legs of a small table in the hallway were made of serpents entwining around each other and seemed to be kissing as the table met the legs. The hallway gave off a sense of grand times past as it certainly was not now. The carpet was worn, wallpaper was tearing off_**,**_ and cobwebs littered the corners of the ceilings.

There was a clatter further up the corner like something being knocked over and swear word muttered. A sigh of annoyance and irritation emitted quickly after that and several strides could be heard coming down the corridor and before Kenneth could reach for his wand another was pressing into the side of his temple_**,**_ and Remus was arguing with the owner of that wand who didn't seem to be listening to him.

All Kenneth could see was straggly greasy black hair and the croak of words.

'Kenneth Webber, hand over your wand.'

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	10. Doctors and Dealers

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Doctors and Dealers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; And That Other Guy! You have done and continue to do such a great job.

* * *

'Severus!' Remus yelled harshly. 'Do you really think this necessary?'

'Give me back my wand!' Kenneth hissed to the man who had grabbed him sharply by the arm and was pulling him along the hallway, sparing him no pain.

His yellowed fingernails dug sharply into Kenneth's skin and already dabs of pink were coming up around his yellowed nails. Kenneth knew he could easily throw this man off, but Dumbledore had told him to be careful around the other members of the Order, many of whom were not impressed by the Headmaster's decision to trust Kenneth. Kenneth wrenched his arm away from the man who was holding him tightly. He pulled away so strongly that the man whom Remus had called Severus (he must be Severus Snape, the Potions Master) nearly fell back on his feet and collided with the door they were walking to. Kenneth felt Remus come up behind him as Snape opened the door and pulled Kenneth forward into the room. The room was large like the size of a decent cave.

A fireplace was at one end, though barely visible because of the two red headed people standing in front of it. Kenneth recognized Arthur and Molly Weasley. Both looked nervous, and Molly was fiddling with the rim of a saucepan that hung up on the roof and dangled down around them. Snape shoved Kenneth down into a seat at the long table that reached across the entire length of the room. But Kenneth lurched back to his feet the minute that he was pushed down and demanded his wand.

'Dumbledore may be able to trust you, but that does not mean we all trust you,' Snape hissed at him, ferociously trying to push him back into the seat, but Kenneth was able to resist with ease and shove the man of him again.

The greasy haired man dug deep into his robes, and Kenneth thought about turning around and making a break for it, but as he turned, Remus was right behind him and gripped his arm tightly, shaking his head. 'Veritaserum is a truth potion,' Snape said easily and corked the vial he held in his hands like it was his child. Kenneth knew he was wide eyed and reproachful at this welcoming and wanted nothing more than to take a swipe at Snape and spill the Potions Master's little treasure.

'You're going to give him truth serum?' Remus asked, obviously shocked by the behaviour of his peers.

'He's a werewolf,' Molly murmured, answering Remus's question and at the same trying to assure her husband that they had a reason for doing this. Arthur was shaking his head in his dislike for this idea; Kenneth was with him completely.

'So?' Remus snapped at her. 'If you seem to have forgotten, I am a werewolf, too, but you don't give me regular doses of Veritaserum to make me spill my secrets!'

'That's quite different, Remus, dear,' said Molly, shifting uncomfortable from where she stood in front of the fireplace.

'I only want to give him one dose, and hopefully,' Snape spat out the words, 'never give him more.'

There was a creak on the stairs Snape had pushed him down before, and Kenneth turned to see a face he'd never expect to see in his life. Sirius Black was walking quite calming down the stairs and even sent a seductive smile across to Remus. Kenneth backed up into Remus again and continued to stare up in shock at Sirius Black. No one else seemed to have similar reactions to his and looked to be fairly accustomed to having a mass murderer strolling through their base of operations.

'I for one,' Black said, and all eyes turned to him as he spoke, 'am all for using the Veritaserum on Webber. Dumbledore wasn't precise enough with his questions and was too kind in just giving it to him.'

'Sirius,' Remus said. 'You don't need to drug him. He's fine, there's nothing wrong with him. He's firmly on our side. Since a few days ago he had no idea Voldemort had come back.'

This was all a little too much for Kenneth. Hearing You-Know-Who's name (he flinched back) and seeing a mass murderer walking around like he owned the place was enough to send even his cocky attitude into a downward spiral. 'Shouldn't you give the Veritaserum to him?' he said pointing to Black who just laughed right back at him.

'Oh,' Remus said. 'Of course, you don't know about Sirius, do you?'

'I know he should be in fucking Azkaban!'

'There wasn't enough fucking in Azkaban,' Sirius drawled playing on Kenneth's words. 'That's why I got out and back to my little Remmie.'

'He's innocent,' Remus told Kenneth, standing so close to him that he was effectively whispering in his ear. 'He never killed all those people and was wrongly locked away. Don't be frightened. He's innocent.'

'In all reason, it's fair to give Webber the Veritaserum,' Sirius said. 'He is something that the Death Eaters are very keen on recruiting, and who knows whom he might have gotten himself involved with. He looks like someone Lucius Malfoy would love to have.'

Kenneth shuddered, remembering that conversation with Inez all too well. It suddenly occurred to him that with the Veritaserum that would come tumbling out. He did wonder how they would take it, though. Sirius continued to drawl about something and something else, and Kenneth was suddenly pulled away from Remus.

Snape grabbed his mouth and held it open like mothers did to children who refused to eat their vegetables and poured a few drops of the potion into his mouth. Kenneth flung Snape off, not caring if the Potions Master hurt himself, that wasn't his concern. Without swallowing the potion Kenneth hurried over to the sink after sending Snape flying into some cupboards and spat. He gathered up all the liquid in his mouth and spat it out over the sink, hoping to get the potion out of his mouth. It was entirely unreasonable! If they sat down and had a conversation with him, he would probably have told them all they needed to know, except they had taken this way, way too far and drugged him stupidly. As much as they claimed to trust Dumbledore's decisions, they obviously were not comfortable with him letting another werewolf into the Order. He was sure that if it had been someone without a case of Lycanthropy, there would have been no problem and they all would have sat down and had a charming chat. Remus was looking at Molly, Snape and Sirius with a pained expression on his face as Kenneth tried to spit all the fluid inside his mouth out.

'You drugged me!' He yelped as Snape struggled back to his feet, glaring at the man who wasn't badly hurt at all but looked like he was going to milk it for all its worth.

'Kenneth, calm down,' Remus warned him gently.

'See how dangerous this is?' Molly shrieked.

'Obviously,' Snape drawled, and Kenneth noticed his hand closing around his wand.

'Don't you dare,' Kenneth hissed at him, stepping close. 'Don't you dare, you've already drugged me, if you curse or hex me I'm going to seriously lose it. Don't you fucking dare,' He sniffed and held out his hand. 'Give me back my wand.'

'And let you curse me?' Snape asked, chuckling somewhat. 'I've never been that easily manipulated in my life.'

'Give him back his wand, Severus,' Remus said from his new stance in the corner of the room.

Kenneth turned around to face him and felt awful. Remus seemed to be taking this display the worst of them all. Kenneth had just simply been disgusted by their actions towards them, but Remus looked like he was going to fold up and maybe even snap. Sirius had already moved over and had pulled Remus into a tight but gentle hug. Kenneth knew why Remus had been reluctant at first to agree to the drink with him. The way he closed his eyes and seemed to melt in Sirius's embrace made it clear. Kenneth turned away with a mind to tell Remus how it was obvious that he loved Sirius and to save himself the misery of trying to connect on that level with the older werewolf when what was before his eyes was as palpable as the full moon growing. He thrust his hand out to Snape again.

'Give me back my wand,' he said slowly. 'Give me back my wand, and we can talk. I think I might have swallowed some anyway, so there is no point other than to talk, is there?'

At the long table, Kenneth felt ultimately more at home with his wand back in his palm. He sat at the head of the table with his hands on the wooden surface because Molly's eyes were never leaving his wand. She was scared of him; he could actually smell her fear! And he found it amusing. She really had nothing to be afraid of, not while Remus was around him anyway even if he was sharing quiet looks with Sirius half the time Kenneth spoke, but that didn't matter. Kenneth knew that Remus would be able to calm him with the slightest touch.

He had rested his forehead against the wood of the table as they all sat down around him, waiting for him to speak when he was waiting for the questions to come. He knew he'd swallowed some of the potion, and whatever was asked his answer would be the truth. It was like everyone took a huge breath before the first question was asked. It was asked by Snape.

'Why do you want to join the Order?' he asked, and Kenneth looked up from the table and smiled lightly at him.

He felt so much more relaxed now that everything had reached some degree of normality. Molly wasn't flinching away from him whenever he moved like he'd uttered You-Know-Who's name rather than move his pinkie finger. And Kenneth didn't feel shocked at Black's presence. Mildly upset by the way Remus just caved in to the man. But Kenneth was glad to have seen before he was strung along by Remus who rightly didn't know his own feelings for Black. And Kenneth knew he wouldn't force Remus into anything. Sirius and Remus obviously harboured feelings for each and perhaps these feelings dated back a lot further than he was even aware. It was only fair for him to enlighten about each other's love and then back off.

'I already have joined,' Kenneth said. 'Dumbledore let me in, he told me the secret. I want to join and have joined because I have little else to do with my time. Dumbledore wanted to me to help Remus,' Kenneth said and saw Remus look away from Sirius on the mention of his name and their cosy little conversation stopped. He saw Sirius's expression falter a little as he looked at the man. 'Because for some reason you can't,' he spoke directly to Sirius now.

'I'm not allowed to leave this house,' Sirius said with resentment. 'If I go outside people are likely to have the same, if not much worse, reaction like you had. And then I really would be back in Azkaban. Don't give me that look, Webber. I'm innocent. I don't deserve to be in that hole of a place.'

The instant he'd finished speaking he turned back to Remus with a light smile causing Kenneth to sigh deeply from his seat at the head of the table. Sirius liked Remus just as much as Remus liked him, but Kenneth got the feeling that Sirius knew he liked Remus whereas Remus probably had some inkling of his feelings. Kenneth needed something to tear his attention away from Remus and Sirius. Arthur was a good enough distraction.

'How is your bite?' he asked the papa Weasley.

'Fine, absolutely fine, splendid! I'm much better now, thank you. I think it was the Muggle stitches,' he mouthed the last part when he was certain his wife wasn't looking, causing Kenneth to splutter out a laugh. 'How is yours?' he asked, this question of his did result in a slap on the leg from Molly. 'I remember it looked rather bad.'

'Well,' Kenneth said and snorted, 'it's persistent. I think it might have been infected,' he said with a laugh that to his surprise caused Arthur to laugh as well. 'I'm definitely getting my strange side effects.' Molly looked horrified when he said this. 'Not now!' he said quickly. 'Merlin, I'm not going to flip out right here.'

'Do you have other allegiances with anyone else?' Snape asked. 'Even if you belong to a Tiddlywinks club, I want to know.'

'I don't see why this is necessary,' said Remus softly and rationally. 'Dumbledore has already given him the job, which is only to help me when I go on my missions.'

'But it's entertaining, Remus,' Sirius whispered to him. 'Who knows what he might say?'

'Yes,' piped up Kenneth. 'I'm a bit worried about that.'

'Dumbledore will listen to me if I prove this werewolf is unfit to join the Order,' Snape added, sounding very dry and pompous when he said it. 'You will tell us what allegiances you have, and you tell them to me now along with anything else you know. I ask that if you have anything you'd like to tell us before I force it out of you, you do so now.'

'All right, all right,' Kenneth said scowling at the Potions Master who for some reason wasn't at Hogwarts when he should really be teaching a class.

Kenneth didn't really find this the appropriate time to pester Snape about his classes at the school. He felt the potion working in him and was quite pleased with his spitting skills; he hadn't swallowed as much as he could have so the potion wouldn't work for as long as it should. He'd wasted a great deal of Snape's potion, and from what he heard that particular one took a long time to brew. It was wasteful though. Kenneth would have told them what they asked if they'd sat him down nicely and had a chat, not tried to drug him and taken his wand.

'I have no previous allegiances apart from this new one and the ones I keep to myself formed in the bedroom. If you want to ask about those go ahead because I will tell you, and I will tell you in great detail,' Kenneth said with a smirk and licked his lips taking pride in the uncomfortable cough from Molly and the laugh of amusement from Arthur. Snape looked very displeased with the way Kenneth was twisting around the potions grip in his playful way. But Kenneth had given his truthful answer to the question that had been asked. '

Do you know anything that you possible shouldn't know?'

'What area are we talking about here?' Kenneth asked. 'Have you strayed majorly from the points and facts you are trying to get out of me? Because I know plenty of things I shouldn't know, but how much of that do you want to hear?'

Snape blinked and sighed. 'I meant: do you know of anything to do with the Death Eaters that only they could have told you?'

'Why didn't you say so before? Clearly clarity is not your strong point,' Kenneth said. He knew he should stop this soon as he was beginning to talk like a stage performer and starting to piss Snape off, he could see it, but the man was good at remaining calm and collected. He grimaced as he felt the potion working and couldn't stop himself. 'I know Inez Malfoy.'

'Who is that?' Arthur asked. 'I have never heard of him.'

'Her,' Kenneth corrected. 'She isn't very well known in the Malfoy gang, and she used to be intent on dishonouring the family. Obviously, she never really did well because no one ever heard about it apart from the family. But something's changed in her, and she tried to get me to hold hands with the Death Eaters a few weeks ago.'

Snape grimaced and dipped his head.

And Remus looked straight at Kenneth. 'Why didn't you tell me?' he asked.

'You never asked,' Kenneth replied.

'Does she know you have joined the Order?' Sirius asked.

'No, she freaked me out when she asked me to join You-Know-Who! I would never tell her that I've joined the Order,' Kenneth snapped back, frustrated by the idiotic question.

'No, no,' Remus said suddenly. 'This could be very helpful.'

'You aren't thinking of sending him in right now, are you?' Snape asked him. 'That would be so ridiculous. It will be useful, yes,' he agreed. 'But wait some time before we use it.'

Kenneth shifted and moved in his seat. 'I don't want to go anywhere near her,' he said. 'She told me things I don't want to think about.'

'What did she tell you?' Snape asked in an instant.

Kenneth snarled. 'Fuck you!' He could feel the potion working off and he didn't want to tell these things to Snape. Not that greasy wanker.

'You have to tell me, the Veritaserum won't let you get away without telling me,' Snape said his tone never changing from the normal drawl he used.

'Fuck you,' Kenneth repeated, crossing his arms over his chest.

He sighed and let his arms fall down; he couldn't fight what Snape had given him. The man was a Potions Master, probably one of the best in the whole of Europe.

'Fine,' he snarled again. 'She told me that the Death Eaters and ... You-Know-Who want me because I'm a dark creature. They want me because they feel it's my right to join and because they can give me a better life.' Kenneth had been leaning far out across the table as the said this, speaking in an angered whisper. 'Lucius is interested in me,' Kenneth said, jabbing himself quite sharply in the chest while he spoke.

'Lucius wants you?' Remus asked in a hushed tone.

'Inez told me her uncle is interested me, her uncle is Lucius, she only has one true uncle left.'

' Lucius,' Remus repeated to himself in one breath. 'Severus, this isn't a good omen.'

'What Lucius wants Lucius gets,' Snape added.

'The longer it takes for him to get it, the worse his hunger will be when he does,' Sirius murmured silently.

He turned to Kenneth who'd distracted himself from hearing snippets of his fate by staring at Remus who didn't seem to notice his attentions.

'Maybe he isn't interested anymore,' Arthur suggested.

'It's hard to tell,' Snape said. 'Who knows? In time Kenneth will find out though. It is best to let the werewolf find that out for himself as I suspect he is more than capable of taking care of himself.' Snape rose to his feet. 'The werewolf did not lie, he drunk some of the Veritaserum. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a class to teach.'

Molly, Arthur and Remus all rose to their feet the same time as Snape did but, Kenneth and Sirius remained seated at the table, Kenneth just staring lamely at the wood of the table and Sirius just watching Snape leave. He let out a huge sigh as the three who'd risen followed Snape out, and Sirius remained sitting, watching him. Silence seemed to overwhelm them and for a second, Kenneth was certain he could hear his blood flowing in his veins. He placed a hand on his heart but couldn't determine whether it was beating unusually fast or if it was his imagination. He thought he could hear his blood rushing around inside him.

'Is it bad?' he asked suddenly when they had been alone in the room for some time. Kenneth looked up at Sirius and shrugged.

'The shock of seeing you?' he asked dismally. 'Yes, that was bad.'

'No, I meant being a werewolf. Remus will never tell me anything. It's like he doesn't like to discuss it.'

'Well, who would?' Kenneth asked dryly, all his humour snapped from him. 'Of course he doesn't tell you anything. Does he even let you see his scars?' Sirius was waiting patiently. 'You're asking me because of the Veritaserum aren't you?'

'Has it worn off?'

'I don't think so. Wearing, yes but it hasn't worn entirely yet. I can hear and smell things that you can't even see let alone smell and hear. I'd had to learn to control it or my head would probably have exploded. The change is the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life, and I have to do it again soon. Remus has dealt with it ever since he was a child, imagine knowing about that pain. It comes around every month, and he knows it.' Kenneth stopped talking and glanced up at Sirius. 'Do you love him?' he asked bluntly.

His head hurt, and his eyes were watering for some unknown reason. He didn't care to dance around the question right now.

Sirius drew back and let out a long breath, puffing out his cheeks. 'Quick to ask,' he said.

'I can't be bothered jumping around and avoiding the question so just tell me.' Kenneth rested his head against his arms on the table feeling deathly tired. He didn't know if it was the events of today or the closeness of the full moon. 'Do you love him?' he asked.

'Yes,' Sirius replied. 'I do love him.'

'He doesn't know,' Kenneth said with a teasing laugh. 'He doesn't know. I can tell he doesn't know. You haven't told him you love him? Why haven't you told him?'

'Because I only realized myself while I was imprisoned.'

'Typical, bloody typical,' Kenneth muttered. 'You had to be separated from something to realize how much you loved and missed it. Shouldn't it be the other way around? The more you spend time with someone the more you understand you love and would miss them. You should tell him,' Kenneth said. 'Tell him soon.'

'Why?' Sirius asked, tipping his head to one side as Kenneth observed him from where his head rested through half closed lashes. Kenneth tapped his fingers against the wood.

'Because you should,' he said lazily, 'tell him.'

It was in that moment, right after Kenneth had finished speaking that Remus entered the room and smiled fondly at Sirius and then softly at Kenneth.

'Can I show him his room?' he asked Sirius who nodded.

Remus offered his hand to Kenneth who took it and pulled himself to his feet, though he let go the second he was standing. Remus looked somewhat alarmed but then led Kenneth out of the room.

Before he followed Remus, Kenneth dipped down close to Sirius's ear. 'And I know he likes you, too,' he whispered softly, surprising himself by the closeness as he felt his lips brush Black's ear.

'Are you sure?' Sirius asked Kenneth as he straightened up.

'Yeah, I'm sure.'

Remus loved Sirius and that was that. Kenneth would take second seat. And he could deal with that. Perhaps he needed a bit of the unreturned feelings card to deflate his large ego.

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	11. Running Out of Time

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Running Out of Time

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

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The room he had been allocated in the house was on the first floor, past a bedroom, a large drawing room and a bathroom. The bedroom on the first floor apart from his was used by Arthur and Molly's only daughter, Ginny, and Hermione Granger, a great friend of Harry Potter and the Weasley's youngest son, Ron. At first, Molly seemed very wary in letting him have this room at the end of hallway, murmuring something about her baby and Hermione. She gave in when Sirius said it was his house, and he'd put people wherever he wanted. The room wasn't exactly gracious, but it was the only spare one.

There was a large bed in the centre of the room, green. The lighter green hangings looked particularly moth eaten. He was told by Sirius who seemed infinitely proud of the small room with the high, lofty ceilings, that he'd just moved the wardrobe that stood tall and high the corner. Remus muttered something about it having an infestation in it before and Sirius having to clear that out and needing help.

Kenneth pictured a rather sweet scene of the innocent Black having difficulty controlling and clearing the unnamed infestation away, at that point Remus would have come to help him, smiling all the way. It simply made Kenneth wonder when he was going to have to call their date off, or when Remus would.

The room, however small, was remarkable, he had to admit. The ceilings reached up so high that he'd have to levitate himself up there in order to touch them. It was a nice room, just gloomy and somewhat depressing. There was only a small window to the left of the room, and it looked out onto nothing but fake magic induced sunlight. As the house was jammed next to several others in a row of traditional London styled homes there was no light available for Kenneth's room, which was probably the reason it was widely unused.

Candles were dotted around where there was surface and provided an eerie blue light Kenneth disliked rather a lot. He liked the room, he liked the high ceilings, the old yet very comfortable bed and the wardrobe Sirius had brought up for him. He didn't like the lack of light the room offered, it made him feel like some kind of vampire instead of the werewolf that he was. Vampires had to stay away from the direct glare of the morning sun, werewolves relished it. The morning sun brought relief.

Vampires, he knew, could never see the morning sun. Kenneth's life depended on the morning sun. Before his first full moon he'd learnt to see the moon as something more amazing then he'd thought. He didn't know if he'd ever really love it like he did the sun, but he respected it in a way that only someone controlled by it could. The sun was a release for what had happened the night before, and though he hadn't seen it during the last full moon, it had been there, and it had rescued him. He was grateful for that.

He didn't know what Remus thought of the sun, he would have to ask. Now probably wasn't the opportune moment as Sirius had curled his arm around Remus's waist as they left Kenneth's new room, Kenneth was certain that now was not a good time to randomly ask what the older werewolf thought of the sun. It could wait. Sirius and Remus were probably enrapt with each other due to what he'd told Sirius.

His act of kindness towards Sirius had puzzled him. He'd wanted Remus, and he'd even persuaded him to go out with him even for one drink, and then he'd just told what a visitor to Grimmauld Place had to see - two men in love with each other for possibly a very long time, one not realizing it but the other knowing it. He was certain the others who stayed and lived in this house would be able to see it if they took a long leave of absence and came back.

They were probably so accustomed to Sirius and Remus being like that around each other that they no longer took any notice. Kenneth could see it in a heartbeat because he was a little enamoured with Remus, and he was new here, everything was new, even the way people interacted with each other. He liked the werewolf, he liked him a lot, but Remus didn't like him as much as he liked Sirius, Kenneth could see that.

He was probably just trying to be gracious and would most likely bring it up later as a way to spite someone into making himself seem like the good, kind person when really he was about to send himself into a little road bump because of what he'd said to Sirius. He'd get over it. Soon enough he'd see someone else that took his fancy, and then he'd develop a crush on them, and the process would repeat itself in a way. Or so he hoped it would. He hoped that it would if Remus decided to tell Sirius how he felt as well.

While he'd been thinking this over he had been standing beside the window, staring out at the fake sunlight that really had no picture behind it. He was thinking about this full moon coming. It would be as painful as the last, he knew that much, and when the natural animal instinct took over his mind would black, and he'd be controlled by something that wasn't entirely him. The animal would take over and control him.

In all honesty, he was very surprised at how easy the days after his first full moon had been. He had slipped easily back into normality and didn't think much of it unless he had to calm the wolf down or he thought about the moon. It couldn't be cured, and he had to deal with what had happened to him, and, if he did say so himself, he was doing a very good job of it.

'You probably don't want to go in there,' Arthur told him as they walked along the top most floor of the house.

Arthur had kindly agreed to give Kenneth a tour of the house starting from the top because there were places that you probably didn't want to go into, Arthur had told him. They started from the top.

The house was fairly epic. The top floor wasn't really the top floor as there was an attic above that but no stairs joint it up to the rest of the house. A hole in the roof joined it up. The hole was really just a black square in the ceilings that were considerably lower at the top of the house. Kenneth decided that Arthur was right, and he didn't really want to go in there. He'd steer clear of the attic. He didn't really like what he couldn't see.

Along the top floor there were two bedrooms, one that belonged to Sirius and one that belonged to his dead brother, Regulus. Neither of the rooms were used unless they had to be. Even Sirius didn't sleep in his old room. Arthur didn't show him inside the bedrooms just pointed them out as he had the entrance to the attic. A bathroom was down the end of the landing as well, and they also didn't go in there as it had once been home to a murderous ghoul, and no one was particularly comfortable in that bathroom.

'And here,' Arthur said as Kenneth thundered quietly down the stairs, his feet barely touching the stairs as he ran, ahead of him to the third floor, 'is where Molly and I sleep. Nice room, it really is. Though it's a bit off-putting to think that Orion and Walburga Black used to sleep there, too,' he chuckled as he said that. 'The twins, Fred and George, sleep on this floor as well when they are here. I think it's because Molly wants to keep an eye on them.'

Kenneth grinned and wiped dust from his hands. 'Is it always this dusty?' he asked.

'We cleaned the house up a while ago, and Molly even put some charms up to stop the dust gathering but the house has a bit of a mind of its own.' Arthur smiled back at him and ran his finger along the banister, collecting dust as well. 'I want you to know that how Snape gave you the potion wasn't the way it should have been done. Sorry about Molly as well. She wants everyone to be safe.'

'It's getting harder and harder these days,' Kenneth said, adding to the conversation. 'I mean, I was attacked in my home, a suburb with plenty of children around, Muggle area as well.'

'Do you know why were attacked?' asked Arthur, sympathetically. 'Did you do anything?'

'Not that I know of,' Kenneth said.

Arthur sighed deeply and led Kenneth down to the next floor for the continued tour. Kenneth really thought Sirius should be doing it as it was his house, but the son of Black didn't seem to have much care of the house, and Arthur knew it well enough.

'Second floor,' he said as they arrived there, Kenneth again running quickly down the stairs. 'There's a bedroom further down that way that Sirius keeps a Hippogriff in, I think it'd be a good idea if you stay away from that room.'

'He keeps a Hippogriff in a bedroom?' Kenneth asked. 'Isn't that cruelty or something?'

'Oh, no,' Arthur said. 'He lets it out each night with a cloaking device over it. It mainly spends most of the night outside.'

'Ok,' Kenneth said drawing in a breath. 'There's a certain degree of weirdness I'm going to have to get used to. But I can cope,' he said holding his hands up. 'I can cope.'

'Good,' Arthur said with a laugh. 'Harry Potter and my son Ron sleep on this floor as well.'

'I'm going to get to meet the legendary Harry Potter as well,' Kenneth said. 'Exciting,' he murmured truly meaning it.

The first floor was where Kenneth was sleeping and also Hermione Granger and Arthur's daughter Ginny. The bathroom on this floor was near the bedroom where the girls slept when they were here and Kenneth had already had to use it so he was familiar already. But maybe the most interesting room in the house was on this floor.

The drawing room. Arthur let him have a bit of a poke around in it. A large fireplace was against one wall, very similar to the one in the kitchen. On one wall there was the whole Black family tree. Several faces were blasted off, such as Sirius's. Kenneth didn't know about his mother being related to the Black's but most his mother's blood had come from a pureblood family way back and even though she was a half-blood there was possibility her family could be on this tree. They weren't though.

A lot of faces were burnt off of the tree. He had heard about the Black's way. They believed they were much better than any other Wizarding family, except for maybe the Malfoys. If any family member as much as spoke out of line in an offensive way towards the family they would disown them, marriage into any other family that wasn't pureblood or were blood traitors, they'd be disowned in a flash also.

It was an amazing room and the tapestry was beautiful apart from the blasted faces and the burn marks dotted around the room like a thunder storm had happened inside the very walls.

Arthur didn't bother to show him the basement and the ground floor as they were rooms he had already seen. There was one thing he hadn't seen on the ground though, and that was the dining room that wasn't used at all, only for very important business, or that was what Arthur told him.

Number 12, Grimmauld Place was a collection of floors with high roofed rooms on them. It wasn't wide the house was thin, and if you were very obscenely fat the house would prove difficult to move around in. Kenneth liked the weirdness but then again he didn't.

He wasn't used to the house yet and still felt like whenever he rounded a corner something would jump out at him and claw madly at his face. But Arthur said that things that would jump out madly and claw at his face had been cleaned from the house when the Order first moved in. There was ease in that.

He had been sleeping very well before he was woken up. He had been sleeping in comfort, wrapped up in the blankets of his warm bed in his favourite, most comfortable pair of boxers. It was a soothing thing to know that he slept with all his belongings around him.

Tom, the barkeep had Flooed everything from his old room in the Leaky Cauldron to Dumbledore's office, who had then Flooed them through to Grimmauld Place, it was a safety precaution. No one who wasn't involved with the Order could know where the headquarters where.

So everything was slotting into place, and he was starting to think of this room as his own because of his clothing in the closet, his bag on the floor and his favourite blanket covering the bed. He didn't care that brown colour of his blanket clashed awfully with the quite sharp, unrestricted green of the hangings on the bed.

But the only problem was he had woken up to the sound of low voices and movement above his room. Despite the astronomically high ceilings his heightened senses were able to pick up on the chat of those above him, at a very early hour of the morning.

At first he had groaned and voices had stopped for a second, quieted down as if they'd heard him. But then they picked up again a few minutes later. Kenneth knew it would be rather impossible for anyone else to hear what was going on above his room apart from him and probably Remus.

Sirius's room was directly above his. He strained his ears and realised that it was Remus entering Sirius's room and probably had stopped speaking because he could hear Kenneth waking up. He lay still, very still. If he moved and the movement was loud Remus was bound to hear him. Remus had just knocked on the door of Black's room. Kenneth could hear Sirius slip out of the bed and scuffle across the floor to the door, cracking it open a peak.

As Kenneth couldn't see what was going on and only hear, he had to make up some visual pictures. Closing his eyes and letting his ears and mind be his main source, he listened. It wasn't eavesdropping, was it? It was hardly his fault if he heard by mistake, overheard their conversation. And besides, it wasn't eavesdropping, and he wanted to know if what he'd said to Sirius would have any impact in this early morning visit.

'Sirius? It's me, may I come in?' Remus asked.

'You don't ever need to ask,' Sirius murmured sleepily, and Kenneth heard the snap of a door shutting, presumably behind Remus.

There was the noise of scuffling and plodding feet above him as Sirius and Remus moved to the bed. 'What's wrong?' Sirius asked.

'Nothing's wrong,' Kenneth heard Remus reply. 'I just wanted to have some company.'

'Why didn't you go to Kenneth?' Sirius asked, and Kenneth was somewhat pleased to hear there was no sarcasm or sense of loathing in his voice. 'You must understand each other.'

'Kenneth's still learning,' said Remus so softly that Kenneth nearly didn't pick it up. 'He has it lucky. His wolf is honestly a sweetheart compared to some, but he does think that everything is going to be easy because his first full moon wasn't very hard.'

'Bullshit,' Kenneth mouthed to himself, making no sound.

'He seems nice,' Sirius said. 'I think Dumbledore's right in being able to trust him. But Snape gave him a fright; he wasn't expecting that from any of us.' Kenneth was certain he heard Sirius laugh.

'Nice?' Remus asked. 'He's a charmer, definitely.' Kenneth caught himself before he smiled at Remus's comment about him, but the flush stayed in his cheeks.

'He is funny,' Sirius said slowly.

'He's a bit like you,' Remus said. 'But he can't compare to you, Sirius.'

Kenneth felt his expression drop. He stared unblinkingly around at the ceiling and thus missed a few sentences from Sirius as he coughed as quietly as he could, trying to get the hard feeling out of his throat.

'Do you know what else he told me?' Sirius was asking Remus when Kenneth started to listen again, blinking again rather furiously.

Kenneth could almost picture the scene - two old friends sitting on one bed, maybe the covers over them. One lying languidly across the bed and the other curled up around himself a little. Remus must have shaken his head because Sirius continued. 'He said that he thinks you like me.'

'Of course I like you,' Remus said, doing that incredibly clichéd thing where people get the meaning of something wrong. 'How long have we been friends for?' he asked.

There was a pause from Sirius. 'A long time,' he finally said. 'But I don't think Kenneth means he thinks you like me in that way.'

'Oh,' Remus whispered. 'I guess ... he's right.'

'Funny how it takes someone new to figure these things out for us,' Sirius said after a very long pause where Kenneth didn't want to think about what they were doing in it. 'I like you, too.'

'Imagine what James would think if he saw us now?' Remus asked. There was humour in his voice, and Kenneth turned over on the bed. He didn't want to hear anymore, he'd heard enough.

'Maybe he'd think finally?' Sirius asked. 'It's probably about time anyway. Hey, wait!' Sirius called out. 'Where are you going?'

'Back to my room, where do you think?' Remus asked.

'No, you're not,' Sirius said and a dull thud sounded out, probably Remus being pulled back down onto the bed. 'You're staying with me tonight.'

Tomorrow when Sirius and Remus came down to breakfast hand in hand, he'd turn his head away.

'Remus?' asked Kenneth quietly. 'What do you think about the sun?'

There was a light grumble beside him as Remus stirred from where he'd been dosing at the foot of the tree. Kenneth had climbed up it the minute he saw and that was where they had stayed, Remus lounging at the bottom of the tree and Kenneth somewhere in its branches.

It was a good tree for climbing, sturdy branches and wet luscious leaves that had brushed tenderly against his cheeks as he climbed halfway up. It wasn't a tall tree but in it he felt like he was looking down on the sun as it set. He was able to brush Remus's hair if the man sat up straight with the tip of his shoe.

Remus shrugged, his shoulders moving and pulling at the grey silky shirt Sirius had gaped at when Remus came down the stairs ready to leave with Kenneth to the country for one night. Kenneth could never have imagined Remus wearing something as gorgeous as that when he had first met him, it was all Sirius. It was all to do with Sirius and for Sirius.

'I don't know,' he said quietly. 'I like the sun, of course. I like the sun more than the moon, naturally. But the sun seems so much more demanding than the moon. The moon ... is less imposing than the sun.'

'... Unless it's full,' Kenneth added, plucking a large green leaf from the tree and crumbled it like parchment in his hands. 'I don't like the moon when it's full. I like the sun though. I like the sun a lot.' He let the leaf fall from his hands and stared wistfully, glassy eyed down at Remus's head below him. 'Did you wear that shirt just for walking down the stairs past Sirius?' he asked lazily, swinging his legs around before lifting them up into the branch with him. 'Because there's no way that you'd wear that for the change. You'd ruin it.'

'You don't seem nervous about tonight at all,' said Remus thoughtfully. 'Just because you had one full moon that was fine doesn't mean the rest of them will be.'

'I know,' Kenneth said. 'But I've decided that it has to happen so there really isn't any point in getting very worked up about each month. The time in between full moons is more normal than I ever expected. And I've really quite over the –,' he was about to say it but changed his mind as he thought it wouldn't be very appropriate, '- happy. I'm happy about it.'

He'd heard Remus comment about that as well and while it hadn't been a snarky comment, Remus wasn't bitching about him just giving his opinion to Sirius. Kenneth still remembered that Remus thought he was taking how easy it was for him for granted.

Remus laughed a little and titled his head up to look at Kenneth sitting in the tree. 'You know vampire's usually sit in trees more than werewolves do,' he said softly.

'Really?' asked Kenneth loosely, now wondering when Remus would tell him what had happened between him and Sirius two nights ago. Kenneth knew something had, he wasn't blind. 'So, Sirius,' he said somewhat lamely. 'Out of Azkaban, hmm? You lot are so lucky I didn't freak out as much as I could have,' he said. 'Oh, it could have been bad!'

'I suppose it's somewhat nerve racking to see someone you've thought a villain for so long and who's on the run standing near you,' Remus said like he'd used the answer before.

'I nearly had an accident,' Kenneth said boldly and then returned to his original roots for brining Sirius up. 'So, Sirius,' he said again. 'You ...' he drew off without an ounce to say, he didn't know what to say to Remus about Sirius.

He certainly didn't want Remus to know he'd heard their chat above his bedroom several nights back. But he wanted Remus to tell him he couldn't go for a drink in that way with him anymore because he was kind if, sort of with Sirius.

'You've figured it out?' Remus asked, turning around to look straight up at Kenneth.

'Why else would you wear a silken shirt for the change?' he asked and snatched at another leaf, this time letting fall down around Remus. 'No drink then?' he muttered. 'No of course not, how stupid would that be?'

'Don't get angry with me,' Remus said gently.

'I'm not getting angry!' Kenneth said scathingly. He crossed his arm up in the tree and as a result of this nearly lost his balance and tumbled out, but he latched on quickly and held himself steady. 'So, you and Sirius then?' he asked. 'Yes,' Remus said definitely. 'I'm sorry, Kenneth,' he added as though it was merely an afterthought.

'Don't worry about it,' Kenneth said dryly. 'You and Sirius go way back then?'

'He said that you told him you thought I liked him more than in a friendly way.'

'Funny how it takes someone new to figure these things out,' said Kenneth.

'That's exactly what he said,' Remus murmured.

Kenneth scoffed to himself high up in the safety of his tree. 'It must have slipped into our conversation.' He tried to adopt a more neutral voice, not so selfish and one sided. 'So, you and Sirius then? A couple of days? Not very long. Pretty serious?' he asked. 'Only a couple of days,' he said to himself. He was answering his own question in a fashion he wanted to hear. 'Might not last very long.' He wanted to hear these answers from Remus but chances were that his answers would be completely different.

'Are you jealous?' Remus turned around to stare up at him with the wide eyed expression usually found on Kenneth's face when he was presented with something amazing. Remus suddenly smiled and turned away without his answer as though he'd gathered it for himself.

'Not as such,' Kenneth said. 'Where you ever planning on telling me, or did you decide that I could "figure it out"? Yes, yes, that's all very well. For someone who hasn't been asked out in such a long time, you've got plenty of dates at your disposal at the moment.'

Remus sighed. 'Wait until you meet one of the older Weasley's. About your age - handsome. Charlie is anyway, Bill is but there's no point trying with him. You and Charlie would look good together.'

'I asked you first,' Kenneth retorted like a child.

'And I've known Sirius for longer!' snapped Remus suddenly. 'I've known Sirius since Hogwarts and liked him for a great deal of my school years. Forgive me if I jump at an opportunity I've wanted for a long time and don't forget that you spurred him on but telling him! Your eyes pretty much betrayed you then!'

'Oh, and my ears,' Kenneth muttered. 'Forget this,' he said to himself but intended for Remus to hear. 'I shouldn't have bothered. But I liked you and was willing to try. Even Sirius thinks we'd understand each other well. Let's just stick to helping each other, going on missions like Dumbledore intended and forget that I ever liked you, all right?' Kenneth plucked at a leaf on the branch near him so strongly he ended up ripping the entire small branch off the tree. 'Shit,' he muttered.

'What did you do?' Remus asked sourly.

'I broke the tree.'

Remus laughed clearly and beautifully. Like a bird, Kenneth thought, suddenly free. 'Stick to being friends?' asked Remus. 'I think we should stick to being friends.'

Kenneth nodded. 'That's fine with me.' He peered down at Remus, now feeling like a bird himself. 'These Weasley boys ... hmm?' he asked. 'What are they like?'

'Tall, red headed-'

'- Merlin, no!' Kenneth said sarcastically.

Ignoring him, Remus continued. 'They should be here anytime now, Charlie has been talking of joining the Order for some time now.'

Kenneth didn't say anything.

The sun was finishing setting in a magnificent blaze of colour of purple and gold. In front of the main face of the sun a huge mangled tree stood old and proud like it had been in that farmer's field for years. The tree was just on the border of their wards that they had set up in earnest when they arrived in the field. The wards glistening with a tiny ounce of blue light as if the dying rays of the sun were trying to protrude through the barrier it provided.

Kenneth was certain he hadn't seen anything else as beautiful as this but he hated what it meant. The moon was slow to rise today and would slowly pop up just as the sun sank, and he was happy for that. It meant he was able to watch the beauty of the setting sun for a few extra moments. It was really stunning. Not as beautiful as the man sitting on the ground below him, his mind though sourly. He knew he had to accept that Remus had chosen Sirius just like he was accepting what happened when the sun finally disappeared beneath the flat in the distance.

He could feel the warmth of the sun across his face as it hovered like it was taunting him before it finally decided to set. Remus had impeccable choice in fields and farmlands. This farm was immense. Some was flat and other areas rocky and hilly. Kenneth had had to herd some sheep out of the area they were warding off and way back to the original flock which was actually a good hour away. Not that he went all the way with sheep, just pointed them in the right direction and chased them a bit to get some of his nerves out.

Running and exercise really did help calm him down, as did a good cry (much to his embarrassment) when he was feeling absolutely irresolute and useless and he knew that a cigarette calmed him down if he were over excited and slightly nervous as he had been when asking Remus on a date with him. The run while he chased the sheep and let him relax before the full moon in a way he hadn't been able to do last time. Last moon he'd been a nervous wreck.

This was only his second full moon and remarkably he hadn't had a small freak out beforehand and was still really quite calm. There was still the sense that something could go wrong lingering around. But what was more wrong then turning into a wolf once a month? Kenneth knew that Remus was right in saying that he'd still only had one full moon and that he shouldn't get to uncomfortable with the idea that he had a good wolf as anything and everything could happen. It was weird thinking that anything could go disastrously wrong when the time he'd had between the two moons was so normal (apart from being inducted easily into the Order).

The only time the wolf had really shown was when it got angry about Mr and Mrs Lamprey being in his house that was still at the time his territory. He'd had a rather normal Kenneth type reaction when Snape had poisoned him with Veritaserum apart from throwing him into the wall. He wouldn't have done that normally, it was just his new found strength proving to be helpful. He wasn't feeling wolfish when Sirius was near him with or without Remus because he was just feeling the normal jealously that anyone would feel.

Being a werewolf was awful but this past month, his first new month, Kenneth realised that he should have believed the Healers when they told him he could have a normal life. This was vaguely normal and it would be normal for him from now on. He could cope and he could prove he could cope to Remus. He would take the older werewolf's advice and believe it wasn't always going to be this easy. Kenneth was lucky nonetheless.

Then there came the pain. So sudden that even if Remus had warned him the crest of the moon had just risen up over the horizon, he didn't think he would have time to do anything before the pains struck. When the pain that he had described after this first full moon as being the worst he'd ever felt came again there was little he could o but think about how much it hurt. His body was transforming, bones breaking and muscle twisting against his will.

Every part of his body was contorting and moving in ways they weren't supposed to and it was the worse pain he'd ever had to deal with in his life. Pain was the only thing he could feel, everything was blanked out by the coming of the moon and extreme pain. A normal person experiencing this much pain would die, they'd have to. A body under that much pressure of pain would only be able to succumb. But Kenneth and Remus were different.

Kenneth woke with a twinge of pain in his upper left shoulder that descended down into his collarbone. He groaned deeply, inhaling dirt. His face was pressed down into the dirt underneath the tree he'd been sitting in before the change. Struggling to sit up, his hands touched his stomach and came back tipped with blood. Two large claw like gashes ran across his stomach, not deep but there was a lot of blood flowing.

He was lucky he was so young and able to just get up after the full moon not so badly hurt. Exhausted, he used a branch above himself to pull up onto his feet. Werewolves could regenerate easily the younger they were, the older they got the harder it became to heal like any normal human but even so the rate of generation was fast. Kenneth must have obtained these cuts just before the moon set or else they would have stopped bleeding and Remus would use his Healers hands to make sure Kenneth didn't scar like he had.

Remus ... Kenneth looked around at the thought of the man. They were still on the farm, and Remus wasn't anywhere near the tree. Their wards hadn't been that big so he couldn't be far. Kenneth stepped away from the tree and let go of the branch somewhat wobbly to find the older werewolf.

Again, he was amazed that the only pain he could feel now was the slight twinge in his shoulder. He didn't feel much from his cut or the pain of the change last night - the huge pain that never seemed to end as he lost his mind and couldn't anything but that after the sun set. He was glad he couldn't remember and didn't know what happened. That would be awful. He just supposed that after all these years Remus wanted to know what happened each time he changed. But curiosity didn't spark Kenneth, he didn't want to know.

He was happy that Remus told him he was fine during the full moon and not dangerous. He was only not dangerous because there was no one around for him to harm.

He gasped and dove down to his knees amidst the dense grass. Remus lay, cataleptic before a big bolder like rock that you'd expect to find giants flinging at each other instead of in a pleasant English farm. He wasn't battered badly, dear Remus, just a few scrapes across his face and it looked like he must of fallen backwards after changing back to normal and hit his head on the rock, knocking himself out cold.

Kenneth slapped the side of his face lightly and used his wand that he'd retrieved before going on his search to shoot a jet of insanely cold water out at his face. But all of this was to no avail. Remus was out for the count. And Kenneth did something he was not allowed to do. He Apparated with Remus back to Grimmauld Place.

Kenneth had nearly no strength after the full moon but somehow he'd made it safely back to Grimmauld Place using Apparition. Remus, much to his relief was fine; he'd just knocked himself out and would come around very soon. After basically handing Remus off to Sirius, Kenneth collapsed from exhaustion into Arthur who caught him before he knocked himself out like the older werewolf had.

As normal Kenneth had no clue what happened the night before and half expected to see a maddened Sirius standing over him demanding to know what had happened. A question Kenneth was fairly sure he could answer but the rock had just been in a place to answer his question for him, something entirely different than what he guessed could have happened. He could have knocked Remus out. He hadn't meant to get so angry and upset at Remus before the full moon.

It was – after all – a harmless crush and Remus was right to go for Sirius. And as much as Kenneth did like him, he could get over it. Even so they had apologized and agreed to be friends, and Kenneth had promised to forget it so they could concentrate on that and their missions. Friends, comrades and partners but not lovers should be their motto. Kenneth did hope he hadn't hurt Remus and it was the rock's fault, not his. He'd himself for it if it was and have a seasoned Azkaban escapee to answer too.

'Kenneth,' someone was standing over his bed pressing a damp towel to his head and speaking his name. 'Kenneth!' It came again, louder this time and Kenneth reluctantly opened his eyes.

'Oh, Merlin!' he said with a wince as much pain as fright. Sirius was standing over his bed managing to look very menacing even with a wet cloth in his hand. He wanted to dive underneath the blankets of his bed and cower like a lost puppy. 'I didn't do it,' he said holding the blankets closely to himself instead. 'It wasn't me.'

'I know,' Sirius said sounding reluctant to even admit that. 'Remus is awake. He told me he hit his head on a rock. I thought it might have been you for a second.'

'If it was I'd be dead right now,' Kenneth mused with false glee.

'I brought you some bandages,' said Sirius chucking them at Kenneth, 'for your stomach. Remus wants to make sure it doesn't scar later as well.' 'Thanks,' he said grabbing at them. He plucked up the blankets and looked under them at his stomach, hissing in a breath when he saw it. Two fine cuts lay across his flat stomach next to his huge scar from the bite, one still oozing blood a little but relatively fine. 'Is Remus ok?' he asked, taking the cloth from Sirius and pressing it down against the cuts to soak up the blood.

'He's good. Still in bed,' Sirius added. 'I wouldn't be here but I wouldn't let him out of bed and he wanted to see if you were ok when I told him you'd collapsed.'

'Mm, how sweet,' murmured Kenneth.

'Very.' Sirius crossed his arms. 'I'd better make sure he stays in bed.'

'Yeah, hurry,' Kenneth said with a smile. How cute that both he and Sirius were uniting in a common goal to help Remus. 'Thanks,' he added with another smirk as Sirius left the room.

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	12. Apples and Oranges

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Apples and Oranges

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

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'What's going on?' Kenneth asked Sirius as he joined the man beside the door to the kitchen. Sirius jumped slightly as he came up behind him he hadn't heard him coming at all.

Originally, he'd been drawn down the stairs by the need for food. It wasn't several days after the full moon, and he'd really been eating nonstop like he'd had some massive purge on the night. He wanted an apple. Molly had come back from visiting her home, the Burrow, with a huge box of gorgeous red apples for Grimmauld Place. And they were delicious, they didn't just look appetising, they tasted it, too. But he'd been lulled down by the sound of two voices that he couldn't recognize at all and Molly shouting her brains off as the unknown voices took turns answering her quite calmly. He'd met Sirius at the kitchen door, not needing to press his ear to the door to hear the raging argument going on inside with a look of interest and possibly amusement on his face.

'The twins have come back,' Sirius said, hushing him with a hand, though he really didn't need to as the shouting was loud enough to be heard in the attic. 'I think they might have left school. There was something about an education left in vain.'

'You mean the Weasley twins?' Kenneth asked. 'Fred and George?'

Sirius nodded.

'You've left school,' Molly said quite calmly at first, but Kenneth could imagine her face bright red and puffed with anger like a blowfish. Kenneth let out a soft snigger, and Sirius, who'd obviously been thinking something similar snorted, 'for the joke shop?'

'Yeah,' said one of the twins proudly and simply.

Kenneth couldn't distinguish between their voices as he'd only heard one of them speak, but he was sure that once he heard both voices he should be able to. He could smell them though, they both smelt like fireworks, and Molly smelt like home and cinnamon like she always did.

'The joke shop,' the other said simply and much to Kenneth's dismay he found that he couldn't tell the twins apart from their voices, and they smelt exactly the same. He liked to know who was who. 'Look, mother dearest,' the one who'd spoken second continued. 'It's tiring business leaving the school in a way that will make a lasting impression.'

'So, if you don't mind ...' the one who'd spoken first added in perfect timing after his twin.

'As a matter of fact!' Molly shouted at them so loudly that it could have been easily mistaken as a shriek. 'I do mind! –'

The twins cut off her artistically as if they'd had years and years of practise, which they probably had. 'We've got it all worked out.'

'It's going to be bloody brilliant.'

There was a huffing type of sigh that only a mother could make that echoed out and reached both Sirius's and Kenneth's ears perfectly, though there was a difference in senses. Kenneth was sure he heard either Fred or George snort with amusement at how much Molly hated what they were doing. Kenneth reckoned that if he had ever been to school and dropped out early like the twins had to peruse something uncommon as they were, his mother would have his arse for dinner. His father would have been pissed as well but let his wife do all the talking for him. His parents were very much like Arthur and Molly, except Kenneth's father was much sterner.

'That's right, Fred,' the other twin said.

'Going back to school would ruin our grand exit, mum,' Fred said again. 'We can't go back, and besides, our joke shop does await us.'

'Right you are, Fred,' said George sounding so pleased with themselves that Kenneth could almost see the identical smiles on their faces, and he didn't even know what they looked like. 'A joke shop in Diagon Alley.'

Molly suddenly erupted, squawking so loudly, and it was all streaming out in such a rush that Kenneth could barely catch full sentences. He heard words like never, in these times, Merlin's beard, a joke shop, don't you dare, out-raged, disgusted, horrified ... the list went on and on until the sound of the twins laughter could actually be heard over Molly's shouts of indignation. Sirius was right to be listening at the door, it was fairly amusing. With a final shout of something that sounded similar to "until you learn some manners," Molly burst out of the room, red faced and heaving.

'Hello there, Sirius,' she said managing a smile and sent a nod in Kenneth's direction.

He still wasn't trusted by her, and his appearance after the full moon of bringing Remus back unconscious and then collapsing over her husband hadn't improved his standings with her much.

Sirius smiled back and then entered his kitchen. Kenneth scuttled in behind him, eager to meet the twins. The two teenage boys were leaning against the counters, standing very close to each other and seemed to be sharing a conversation between them using just their eyes. They jumped apart slightly when Sirius entered flocked by Kenneth.

Both had the same Weasley hair and had freckles dotted across their noses and high cheekbones – high for such sturdy builds. They shared a body build completely different from Kenneth's thin, lanky and only slightly muscled frame. They were a lot stockier than he was but he had height on them. Both had a tinkle of cheek and mischievous in their eyes, and they grinned when they saw Sirius.

'Some argument,' the ex-inmate commented vaguely as he dove for one of the apples Molly had brought back with her. 'Impressive even.'

Both Fred and George shrugged at the same time, but George had his eyes on Kenneth. 'Yeah,' Fred commented lazily. 'She won't ever appreciate our fine work.'

'Never ever,' George agreed. 'You're the werewolf from the ward, aren't you?' he asked. He nudged Fred. Kenneth was only able to tell who was who from where they stood and the slight difference in their voices he'd picked up from outside the door. Kenneth nodded. 'George,' George said and advanced forward with his hand out for Kenneth to shake it.

'Kenneth,' he replied and shook George's hand. Fred's hand was directly under his nose the second he let go of George's.

'Fred,' the other said with a smile. 'Wouldn't have ever been able to tell it was you if George hadn't noticed. You looked a little green last time we saw you.'

'Glad to know I've regained some of my previous god-like glow,' Kenneth said, smirking himself. George laughed, and Fred nodded, rolling his eyes.

'Joined the Order then?' asked George.

Kenneth nodded. 'Yup.'

'Bet mum wouldn't have been happy about that,' mumbled Fred.

'Not really,' Sirius said as he left the room with what looked like the best apple from the crate. 'Not as annoyed as Severus though, he had a fit.'

'He drugged me with Veritaserum,' Kenneth said with a shrug.

'It was boring,' Sirius said dismally. 'Honestly, I was expecting some great confession rather than just finding out that he knows the cupboard Malfoy, Inez.'

The twins didn't take this as amounting to much. The expressions on their faces showed they had very little idea who Inez Malfoy was. Not many people knew her in the Malfoy house, she wasn't very well known as being a Death Eater or anything of the sort. But now Kenneth didn't know. From the way she'd talked to him many weeks ago, nearly a month to the day, she sounded like her views had turned fast. It frightened Kenneth; he wasn't going to lie to himself about that; it had scared him somewhat.

'Been on any missions yet?' George asked.

At that moment, Remus entered and greeted the boys, commenting about the explosive noises coming from Molly. Kenneth with little regard to the fact Sirius was still in the kitchen, and almost acting like he'd completely forgotten that fact – for a minute he might have, pulled Remus against him. Chest to back and rested his hand on the man's slim waist giving him a quick hug before releasing him. It was something he just did without realizing what he'd done until it was over. He didn't think it was the wolf; it was probably just himself playing around without thinking beforehand. He flushed as he noticed Fred peering with his head cocked to one side at Sirius and Remus and George with his head cocked to the other side and observing Kenneth.

'No, not yet,' Kenneth said in answer to George's question and in order to break the ice had settled really rather quickly. 'Unless Dumbledore's told Remus about a mission. I'm supposed to go with Remus on them.'

'Two werewolves,' George said, 'makes sense.'

'It's not like they send a pair of Weasleys on missions like that though,' Fred said to his twin.

'Well, it'd give away cover, wouldn't it?' George replied, swatting gently at his brother's arm. 'We'd all be far too easy to identify. There's a Weasley, here's a Weasley.'

'Ooh,' Fred commented as he looked over to the bench crowded with not just apples but other vegetables and ingredients. 'What's the occasion?'

'An Order meeting,' said Remus. 'Most of the Order, not everyone. Kingsley, Tonks, Mad Eye, Bill – think. You'll be able to meet them, Kenneth,' Remus added to him.

The twins hung around for the dinner with other members of the Order later that evening. They stayed well out of their mother's way but took delight when she yelled at them when their paths crossed. Sirius, who obviously didn't get out much found it endlessly amusing and seemed to be wherever the twins were when Molly was around. Kenneth was actually surprised that Sirius and Remus weren't up in either Sirius's or Remus's room, shagging their brains out. He would have thought that would have been the best way to end Sirius's boredom.

But it seemed that after their confessions of love that Kenneth had had the pleasure of listening to for a while, they were taking things slowly. Snail's pace slowly, Kenneth wasn't sure if their lips had even pressed together for longer than four seconds at a time. It was cute though. It was almost like Sirius was still courting Remus. Kenneth probably should have done the same rather than telling Remus he had a crush on him. But he had wanted to start with a drink, slowly as well. It looked as though Remus liked being courted in that sweet way Sirius had.

If something happened between Sirius and Remus, Kenneth would be the first to jump in with his help and ears for Remus. Sirius maybe, he did quite like the man, he was funny in a lingering kind of way.

He always ran his hands along the gnarled wood that made up the banisters as he walked up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Something that he did like about the house was the stairs, they were great to run down and climb up. It was ridiculous for Kenneth to like the stairs as much as he did; it was like he was a child playing with them whenever he went up or down. He just liked the stairs. Remus liked the old, matted rug in the drawing room for the pictures on it, and Kenneth liked the stairs.

'Kenneth.' Sirius was standing outside his bedroom with his arms crossed looking like he was there for some serious business.

'What?' Kenneth asked attempting a smile, but Sirius didn't smile back, so he dropped it. 'Yes?' he asked more politely.

No one was going to waste any time in this discussion, that was easy to see and so was the fact that it was intended to be a serious talk between them. Sirius certainly wasn't wasting any time. 'Do you like Remus?' he asked quickly.

'In what way?' said Kenneth, immediately gaining his somewhat flirty way that he spoke to dart around the answer and to annoy people senseless.

Sirius sighed deeply. 'You know what way I'm talking about. Do you want to get ... into him?'

Kenneth floundered with his answer for a second. Sirius either couldn't find the words or he'd meant to say it like that. 'What an elegant way to put it,' murmured Kenneth.

'Stop sounding so bloody cynical and answer the question!'

'Do I want to get into Remus?' Kenneth repeated the question to himself. 'Well, I do like him.'

'You like him, "want to be with him"?' asked Sirius, his eyebrows knitted together like he was in fierce concentration.

'Yes,' Kenneth said truthfully and innocently hoping Sirius wouldn't punch him in the face. 'I like him.'

The man nodded. 'I thought so,' he said. Kenneth was confused. Sirius now sounded almost relieved that Kenneth had told him that he liked the person he was sort of with. 'It's obvious,' he said. 'The fact you like him is probably as obvious as it was to you that I liked him when you first came here.'

'Oh,' hissed Kenneth. 'Is it that bad - really that obvious?'

Sirius nodded at the same time he rolled his eyes, but before he could say anything else Kenneth was in front of him. 'It's not a problem,' he said. 'I've told Remus I like him, and he chose to be with you, so I don't see any issue here.' He crossed his arms to counter Sirius, who hadn't uncrossed his the entire time they were talking despite his relief.

'You told him?' Sirius asked. 'And he chose me?'

'What, surprised?' Kenneth said suddenly bitter. 'He would have chosen you anyway. Remus said something about having always wanted you in school and stuff like that. He would have chosen you,' Kenneth repeated.

Much to Kenneth's amazement, Sirius was glassy eyed as he told him this. 'Just don't do anything like you do with him in the kitchen again,' Sirius muttered. 'Excuse me,' he added and walked stridently off probably in search of Remus.

Kenneth let out something that was half way between a giggle and a deep sigh. Kenneth slunk into his room that was just a few steps away. So his plans to stop liking Remus in that way were not working, he'd already discovered that, but Sirius told him it was obvious. As obvious as it had been to him that Sirius was basically in love with Remus, which had been one of the first most significant things he noted about the house.

He supposed it was harder to return to just having friendly feelings for Remus because his wolf liked the man as well. Perhaps he did think that he'd been acting like he didn't like Remus and pretending that he'd kept his side of the bargain. But that scene earlier that day in the kitchen where he'd acted out of turn in front of Sirius proved that he probably still was crushing quite heavily on Remus. People couldn't help who they fell in love with, and Kenneth was very happy that his crush was on someone who he could easily fall in love with and wanted to. Just as long as he kept it on the down low everything would be fine. Quixotically, he thought that sooner or later Remus would want to be with him.

'This is the new Order member, Kenneth Webber,' announced Molly as she bustled past Kenneth with a steaming plate of potato's to put down on the table.

The four people looked up at him, all holding very different expressions on their faces. A young girl, probably no older than he was, had a very pretty half smile upon her face as she grinned up at him from underneath her pink bangs. She sat near the end of the table and opposite her was someone Kenneth had seen before.

Mad-Eye Moody sat with his magical eye whizzing around the place and every now and then resting on Kenneth before zooming off again. He was known for his constant vigilance, and Kenneth was nervous about being slipped some more Veritaserum. Or maybe he'd be questioned again. He didn't know who was scarier, Mad-Eye or Snape. They were both frightening in their own way. Mad-Eye, because he was crazy and Snape, because he was forceful and gloomy.

A tall, square black man sat next to Arthur in the centre of the table wearing a Muggle brand suit and tie like he'd just been doing business with a Muggle. They were talking hurriedly about something to do with the Ministry, and Kenneth couldn't catch anything about from the Minister's name and that of a few departments. The last person he hadn't met before was a Weasley, and he didn't have time to look at him because he found that he was already sitting next to Bill (it must be Bill) and having a conversation.

'Bill Weasley,' he said charmingly and smiled brightly at Kenneth. 'Don't you work at Gringotts? Something to do with foreign wizards, witches and money?'

'Well, I used to,' Kenneth said.

'My girlfriend,' said Bill 'came over from France to work at Gringotts. Fleur Delacour?' he asked. 'Do you know her?'

Kenneth nodded. She was beautiful. At first he'd found it hard to speak around her and do his job, he ended up stuttering like a nervous wreck. But eventually he was able to after a few days of nearly being in her presence nonstop. 'Yeah,' Kenneth said. 'I know her. But I don't work there anymore,' he added.

'Why not?' Bill asked calmly.

'I got fired.'

'What for?' the Weasley asked.

'Werewolf,' Kenneth said lamely with a pitiful smile. 'They fired me because they couldn't be bothered going through endless amounts of papers and work to keep me there. Apparently, it's more trouble then I'm worth.'

'Oh,' Bill said, somewhat stunned. 'Tough luck, Fleur misses you. She says you were very helpful and funny.'

'Glad I was,' Kenneth said. 'What do you do?'

'I work at Gringotts, too,' said Bill with an award winning smile. 'Curse breaker.'

Now it was Kenneth's turn to be somewhat stunned. Of course he should have guessed from Bill's rocker like appearance that he'd have some impressive job like that. The role of curse breaker's always seemed to be reserved for the outrageous looking or the good looking. Bill was a bit of both. Kenneth often wondered why he hadn't gone in for that job rather than taking his own.

The only reason he'd been given his job was because he spoke German well, a tiny amount of French that always came out wrong when Fleur was around and despite how rude he could be somehow people seemed to like him.

'Oh, wow.' Kenneth grinned. 'Is that as impressive as it sounds?'

After a few seconds he was aware of Remus gazing at him as he spoke to Bill. He turned his head lightly to the side to look at the older werewolf who flushed deeply and turned away back to Sirius and gave him the softest kiss Kenneth had ever seen, it caused Mad-Eye to cough awkwardly and interrogate the pair of them about "just what was going on". Kenneth was flushed a little himself from catching Remus looking at him like that and felt a little self-important now.

Bill shook his head with a laugh. 'No, of course not, we all just spend a lot of time stuffing around with the vaults. Wands out and all.'

Kenneth did his best not to laugh when Bill said that and nodded with a soft smile. 'These meetings,' he said, 'does anything much happen? Or is it just some a giant get together, an excuse for a party?'

'Mad-Eye's all for having a serious talk but mum treats it like a party of friends and since not much of the Order are here, I guess it will just stay that way.'

Bill was right. For the remainder of the evening they ate the delicious food Molly had prepared, there was slight talk about affairs at the Ministry – mainly Fudge's ever growing uselessness. Some talk of Sirius and Remus and some of Kenneth joining. And he was right, just as Mad-Eye was leaving he plucked at Kenneth's sleeve and nearly dragged him into the corridor to accost him about his reasons for joining. He backed down considerably when he said that Dumbledore had allowed him to join and Snape had already given him Veritaserum.

'Werewolf?' grunted Mad-Eye when they were in the safety of the corridor that led down to the kitchen.

The faint screams of Sirius's mother, Walburga, with whom Kenneth had become acquainted with earlier that day, ("Half-blood! Traitorous half-blood") could still be heard. She wasn't happy with the "scum" that was treading through her house. She'd made quite a racket when the pink haired girl, who Kenneth now knew as Tonks, walked in and tripped over the snake themed umbrella stand. And not just because she'd knocked something over. A stream of insults had flown out when she'd entered the house, and Sirius had nearly had to smash her portrait to make his mother shut up.

'Yes,' Kenneth said. He felt that if he tried to play around the answer with this man, there could be some serious trouble. 'What does it have to do with anything?' he asked in a small squeak of a tone. Mad-Eye was very intimidating.

'Are you on our side?' the Auror asked tapping his wand against his hand.

'Yes, of course I am!' Kenneth said. 'I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.'

'But how do we know that?'

'I've spoken to Dumbledore, he trusts me. Remus trusts me and Snape forced me to drink Veritaserum. All that came out was the truth.' If Mad-Eye didn't feel he could trust Kenneth there could be some bad disruption amongst the Order.

'I'll be checking with all three of them,' Mad-Eye said poking a finger threateningly at Kenneth.

The warm welcome wasn't exactly warm when joining the Order. Kenneth knew his lycanthropy was a factor in all the questions as well, a rather large factor. But he didn't really mind much about that, it was just the way people were.

They protected themselves and those they loved at all costs, and if that meant being very wary of being constantly vigilance, then that was how it was. 


	13. Minor Detail

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Minor Detail

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. You all make my day. The next chapter will be posted rather soon after this one as both of them are quite short, (cough cough, fillers, cough). But I hope you enjoy!**

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'You want me to duel Sirius?'

'Yes,' Remus said softly. The man stood at the foot of the bed as Kenneth sat in the centre of it, half way to putting on a sock that was now forgotten about because of the strange request. He was sure that right after Remus had asked his mouth had been open and_**,**_ it remained that way until he'd processed what the older werewolf had asked.

'Why in Merlin's name do you want me to curse your boyfriend?' asked Kenneth sighing as Remus touched a hand very gently to his exposed collarbone.

The top four buttons on his shirt were not done up as of yet_**,**_ and this left quite a bit of chest exposed. Remus had bounced in when he was getting dressed and asked very randomly in Kenneth's opinion if he wanted to duel Sirius.

'I don't want you to curse him,' said Remus sitting down on the bed next to Kenneth_**,**_ who had resumed pulling socks on his feet.

'Isn't that the point of duelling?' said Kenneth. 'Curse or be cursed, hex or be hexed, jinx or be jinxed?' He fell back on the bed as he did the last remaining buttons of his shirt up but left a few open nonetheless as Remus's eyes still lingered across there. 'What's it all about then?' he asked. 'Because I'm not going to play with Sirius just because he wants something to aim at; if there's a good reason, I'll duel him.'

'How noble,' Remus murmured with a laugh.

Kenneth sat upright and looked him in the eyes. 'I'm not being noble,' he said. 'I'm fucking scared of Sirius. He's big, and scary, he was in Azkaban even though he was innocent,' he said in hurry before Remus had to tell him again for the third or fourth time. 'But I don't know, he's nice and funny and all_**,**_ but I don't want to be on the wrong end of his wand, thank you very much.'

Remus chuckled lightly. 'You need to duel someone before we go on a mission, Kenneth. Everyone wants to see if you're good at duelling or not. And if you had gone to Hogwarts Dumbledore would know_**,**_ and you wouldn't need to do this.'

'Can't I just wing it on a mission?' he asked. 'Anyway, I'd have you to protect me so what would be the problem?' To his delight, Remus flushed bright pink as he said that and turned his eyes away from Kenneth's face.

'Do you know how stupid that would be?' said Remus. 'You can't just rely on someone else to save you. If you aren't very good at dueling_**,**_ we can teach you what you should know so you're ready.'

'Oh, Merlin,' Kenneth said. 'I can duel, honestly, I can. I'm all right! But do I have to duel Sirius?' he whined. 'What if he beats the crap out of me, hmm? Wouldn't that be fun? I bet – I bet! – That he only wants to duel me because he's bored and has nothing better to do. And I'll just offer myself up as a martyr.'

'Stop talking like that,' groaned Remus. 'I'm just asking you so we can see if you're good or not.'

'I'm touched by your concern really, but -' Kenneth paused and his eyes flittered back to Remus. He smiled widely and licked his lips to moisten them. He had an idea to get what he wanted for just a second and give Remus what he wanted – by the sound of things_**,**_ that was watching him get the magic kicked out of him by Sirius. It was a devious idea but it just might work. 'I'll do it_**;**_ I'll duel him so you can watch me get my arse kicked or whatever, if you give me a kiss.'

The werewolf's eyes widened. 'I thought you said you'd forget about that.'

'Just one kiss,' whispered Kenneth. 'And I'll duel him so you can see what I'm like. I just want one kiss,' he added with a smile.

'Just one?' asked Remus whose eyes were on Kenneth's lips now.

'Just one,' promised Kenneth. 'Then I'll go straight downstairs and duel him even if I have to slap him with a glove to make him do it.'

'You won't have to,' Remus murmured back in response though his eyes were still firmly locked on Kenneth's lips like he was thinking this through still. 'He suggested it.'

'Of course he did, he hasn't got anything better to do,' Kenneth said. 'I don't care though. I'll duel him if you kiss me.'

Remus smiled his blush back. 'One kiss?' he asked again.

'Just one,' Kenneth said again.

There was a slight nod that Kenneth gathered to be a yes. His heart was hammering loudly in his chest as he leaned for, his eye lids fluttering to a close just before his mouth touched Remus's. He was sure he moaned lightly as Remus moved his lips against his so lightly that it might not have happened apart from the fact that Kenneth's stomach flipped for joy at even the smallest physical contact between them. Wanting to feel Remus's skin and try to control the twist of glee in his stomach he saw a flash of the flesh Remus didn't usually show on purpose, he reached a hand up to touch the werewolf's cheek. The kiss wasn't really deep enough or long enough for him to leave his hand there for some time and run it through his hair, so he lightly stroked Remus's cheek before letting his hand fall away. He adored Remus, scars and all. And though he did understand why Remus didn't like showing his scars he thought Remus's mindset was a shame for someone as gorgeous as he was. Just as he let his tongue run along Remus's bottom lip, the man pulled back.

The smell of chocolate had been overwhelming when his lips gently pressed against Remus's. When Remus had pulled away after Kenneth had tried to get more out of the kiss by licking Remus's bottom lip, the smell had subsided and returned to the faint smell that he could tune into if he wanted to enjoy Remus's scent. He really didn't know what that said about Remus's feelings for him. Maybe Remus had just reacted that way because it was different than the way Sirius kissed him. But if Kenneth was right, there had been a flutter somewhere in Remus that had allowed Kenneth to smell him more sharply. Kenneth wouldn't blame him; he'd felt the same flutter.

Kenneth didn't draw back after Remus had. Still relishing in the closeness they had, he kept his face there and let a small gasp of caught air escape in a moan. It was hard not to want more. The kiss had been so delectable. So soft and small that it practically left Kenneth begging for more. Too bad Remus wouldn't give him more_**,**_ and Kenneth couldn't take another kiss without playing around with his words so Remus would give him another. And that was called blackmail and was usually frowned upon. He wasn't about to blackmail Remus into kissing him again, it was ridiculous. As much as he deeply desired another one, he couldn't press his lips to Remus's again. The other werewolf didn't know _**-**_ Kenneth assumed he didn't know it, but the way he gave soft kisses out of his shyness could really leave people begging and wanting more. A soft kiss such as that was a promise for more to come.

'You never give up, do you?' he asked softly, still very close to Kenneth. Whether he was referring to the way Kenneth helplessly touched his cheek as an indication he wanted the kiss to be deeper or the way Kenneth couldn't help himself from liking Remus, he didn't know.

Kenneth pressed his forehead against Remus's who to his dismay pulled back. He didn't answer and left the question hanging. 'Right,' he said jumping off the bed like a huge adrenaline rush had just hit him smack in the face. 'Where's Sirius?' he asked as he ran from the room and looked around the corridor from it. Remus came up behind him and pressed his hand into the small of his back, softly.

'In the drawing room,' he muttered.

'With a wand?' Kenneth asked as he had to run back into his room to collect his. 'I think my brain's a bit ... addled after that,' he added to Remus who was grinning at his suddenly energetic ways. 'That was nice, you're a good kisser, did you know?'

Remus grabbed his arm. 'Don't tell Sirius,' he said imperiatively.

'If you kiss me again,' Kenneth said jokingly and with a grin to let Remus see that.

'No, Kenneth, I'm serious!' Remus said. 'Don't tell him, please?'

'I wasn't going to, ok?' Kenneth said with a sigh. 'I'd never dream of ratting you out like that. It wouldn't be fair.' He was about to go off and find Sirius who would probably be waiting for some entertainment and kicking Kenneth's arse in a duel in front of Remus must qualify as top notch (he wasn't really the best of duellers) when Remus spoke his name quietly. 'Yeah?' he asked turning around to face him.

'You still like me?' he asked.

'I can't exactly turn it off.' Kenneth shrugged when Remus looked at him sternly. 'I'm sorry, you're beautiful. I can't help it.'

The huge tapestry of the Black family in the drawing room beckoned to him and flanked by Remus he stepped inside. Sirius was standing beside the fireplace looking like he'd fallen asleep on his feet but snapped his attention up when he heard the footsteps enter the room. Kenneth wrinkled his nose in annoyance. Sirius looked so intent about the duel_**,**_ and Kenneth remembered the pureblood tradition behind duelling. Most youngsters of a pureblood family, male or female – skill with a wand was adamant for any wizard or witch, were taught to duel as soon as they started attending Hogwarts or any of the other schools in Europe or when they started being homeschooled.

Kenneth who wasn't pureblood had never taken part in this practice_**,**_ but he and his brother used to fight sometimes_**,**_ and that nearly always ended in tears or some growth sprouting from one of them. He knew his spells well he just wasn't good at getting them out in a hurry. His defence was great though, many times when he duelled he spent most of it standing behind a shield.

'Be gentle,' Kenneth told Sirius when the Black smirked at him. 'I'm not pureblood so I don't have years and years of practise like you do.'

'Bring it on, werewolf,' Sirius said slipping into his fighting pose.

'Let's not make this personal,' Kenneth muttered.

He realized that this was something to impress Remus with, and he'd have to rely a lot on his wit still that made Remus laugh_**,**_ and Sirius was going to rely on his skill. Kenneth was outnumbered by Sirius because he made Remus laugh and could impress him. He sighed jaggedly and stepped into what he called his pose, which was not as intense as Sirius's. Kenneth merely stood with his wand stuck out in front of him whereas the Black stood with his legs spread apart wide for balance and one hand out in front of him and his wand arm over his head. Anyone would see who was more practised at duelling just by looking at this, even if he looked a bit of a fool. Kenneth uncomfortably switched his grip on his wand and heard Remus sigh out the word to begin.

Immediately he put up a shield around himself, one of blue light. Sirius's first curse rebounded of it and flew straight back at the heir of Black who waved it away like it was a mere feather, Kenneth gulped. He wasn't feeling comfortably enough to emerge from outside of his shield and thought that standing behind it the entire duel would be the safest beat.

'Come on, Kenneth!' Sirius called lowering his arms and spreading them wide. 'I'm wide open.'

Kenneth was not stupid enough to fall for that, he saw Sirius's hand twitch around his wand_**,**_ and he knew he was ready to fire back as soon as he dropped his guard. He gulped again.

''m, not that stupid!' he called.

'You're certainly playing it safe!' Sirius yelled back at him. For some reason they were shouting when they could hear each other perfectly if they spoke normally. 'Get out from behind that shield_**,**_ and let's do this properly.'

'Honestly, I'd rather not. I prefer to sneak about the place then fight,' said Kenneth lowering his voice. He grinned at Remus who rolled his eyes; he must have now realized both men were trying to impress him no matter how much this duel was a test of Kenneth's ability. How embarrassing for Kenneth.

Sirius was watching Kenneth smile at Remus and Kenneth kept his eyes on the older werewolf but cautiously lowered his guard and sent a small hex in the direction of Sirius's who didn't have time to react_**,**_ and it hit him squarely in the chest and sent him stumbling back a few paces. Just enough time for Kenneth to send two more that pushed him back further. He hastily put his ward back up_**,**_ and Sirius sighed after he'd regained his balance. It was obvious that Black was thinking him pathetic and rather useless. Kenneth wasn't the best at duelling; he wasn't up the top with the best. He wasn't a professional dueller like one of his aunt's. He was his aunt's biggest displeasure, she had dubbed him "rather inadequate" many years ago_**,**_ but Kenneth didn't care. Duelling wasn't his favourite past time. And though maybe he should be better at it for his own safety, he could block spells and everything well. Well enough to keep him safe. It was just the firing back part he wasn't so good at. And besides, Kenneth had other means for getting himself out of trouble. That was why he was blessed, or cursed, with so much drollness. So he could talk himself out of situations.

Again, Sirius seemed to be waiting for him to make the move that might spark up an epic duel. Kenneth didn't really fancy coming out from his shield anytime soon. Yet he knew that if he didn't cast some kind of spell at Sirius and stood behind his shield the entire time, this could get very boring and tedious. Almost shyly, he quickly lowered it and shot a stronger spell out at Sirius that thudded into contact with his chest and sent him reeling over backwards and standing up to shake blue fire off himself in a maddened rush before it singed his hair. But right before Kenneth hastily but his ward back up or had a chance to fire another spell, Sirius had shot a huge curse at Kenneth that swiped his feet out from under him and sent him hurtling back into the cupboards on the other side of the room, crashing the glass in them. As tradition stated, Sirius would be able to do whatever he wanted with Kenneth's wand as it had flown out of his hands as he landed.

Remus was the first beside him, helping him sit upright. 'Are you ok?' he asked. Remus was surprisingly close for someone who's boyfriend (or lover, he wasn't really sure how to describe them) was standing several feet away.

'Ow, just move your hands,' Kenneth advised him_**,**_ and Remus moved his hands from Kenneth's hip. 'I'm fine. What did I say?' he said to Remus with grin.

'You really aren't that good,' Remus said, laughing at him.

'It'd be nice if you didn't rub it in,' Kenneth muttered as he pulled himself to his feet. 'Can I have my wand back?' he asked holding his hand out to Sirius's who was twirling it triumphantly between his fingers. He winked at Remus who flushed back in return. Kenneth pulled Remus in close to whisper in his ear. 'He did that for you, did you notice?'

'It was hard to miss,' Remus whispered back before Kenneth let him to go to Sirius who was still playing like a god with Kenneth's wand. 'Can I have that back?' he asked again, this time holding his hand out demanding it back.

Sirius held it to his chest. 'But I won it,' he said.

'Oh, come on, you know it wasn't really a proper duel,' Kenneth said thrusting his hand out again as if Sirius hadn't seen it the first time. 'Give me my wand before I get really angry.'

'You're a useless dueller so nothing would come of it if I didn't give your wand back,' Sirius sniggered at him. 'Joking, joking,' he said easily when Kenneth was about to snap harshly at him, owner of the house and better dueller or not. 'Here, catch.'

His wand flew through the air_**,**_ and Kenneth snatched at it, nearly fumbling it before he caught it and scowled at Sirius. 'Thank you,' he muttered slipping it up the sleeve of his shirt where he liked to keep it safe.

Sirius grinned at him and walked forward to sling an arm around his shoulders that Kenneth shrugged off. 'You probably could handle yourself in a fight ... just,' he added as an afterthought. 'But there's something that the rest of us have noticed. Arthur says you've given him quite a fright a few times.'

'Not intentionally,' Kenneth murmured. 'I don't wait in shadows and jump out at people, if that's what you're suggesting.'

Black shook his shaggy head, his hair was longer than Kenneth's and the ends hit him in the face when Sirius shook his head wildly. 'What I mean is that you walk quietly. You hardly ever make a sound. You've given me several frights and Molly nearly screams every time you enter a room because she doesn't notice unless you're jabbering away, which you nearly always are or playing around with something when you go in.'

'So ...?' Kenneth asked.

'It's unnerving,' Remus added. 'You've scared me a few times too, Kenneth.'

'I'm sorry?' he asked, puzzled. 'You want me to make more noise when I walk? Why is this even relevant?' he said, frowning and pursing his lips.

'What we're saying is that you may be a little useless at duelling but not that bad,' Sirius said. 'But you are good at talking your way around things; you could probably talk yourself out of anything if you tried. People can hardly hear you when you walk around.'

'Maybe you all need your ears checked.'

'No, really, you're quieter than a mouse when you move if you haven't been seen. You've got stealth, Kenneth. You make Tonks look like a thundering elephant and she makes you look like a swan.' Kenneth found himself arching his neck a little and stopped when Remus nudged him.

'Stealth is good,' the older werewolf said. 'If you aren't heard, you might not be seen and if you can keep yourself out of sight, you won't need to fight.'

'Always helpful,' Kenneth said.

'Especially when it's you,' added Sirius.

'Does this mean you'll send me on sneaky kind of spy like missions?' he asked.

'No, you'll come with me and maybe go with someone else if that kind of talent is needed. Tonks might be grateful for help like that. Being quiet and furtive is a quality every good Auror should have.'

'At least I'd know I'd pass one of the tests,' Kenneth murmured. 'Is that it then?' he asked. 'No more duelling, done?'

'You've proved you're only just capable of looking after yourself in a duel,' Sirius said with a snigger.

'Shut up,' Kenneth muttered. 'At least I didn't curse you really badly,' he added. 'Because I will do it now if you keep insulting me.' Kenneth widened his eyes at Sirius and shoved him with his hip a little.

'Bring it on, then,' Sirius grumbled and shoved back into Kenneth who staggered off somewhat, nearly crashing into the doorway of the drawing room.

Remus gave a disgruntled sigh of a teacher dealing with two immature students.

* * *

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	14. Hallelujah

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Hallelujah

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. You all make my day. **

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On a cold, freezing afternoon, Kenneth could expect to easily find company in the kitchen. It was the warmest room in the whole of Grimmauld Place. Unless Kenneth wrapped himself up in the blankets of his green bed, but then he would find himself drifting off to sleep even if he had a good book in his hand. On the occasions that he did spend in his room with warming charms on the bed and then blankets over those, he was able to hear Remus and Sirius above him. That was mildly off putting to say the least. Hearing the pair of them together, even just talking, made him feel lonely. The days after the last full moon and their kiss had been especially awful.

The kitchen, as he'd anticipated was bustling with life. Molly was busy humming to herself over the kitchen sink as if there was no place that made her happier, Arthur was at work_**,**_ but the place he'd left the Prophet that morning was still vacated like it was waiting for him.

Tonks had joined them for the day, sipping coffee with loud slurping noises that Kenneth was certain he and Remus could just hear from the other end of the house. But she was here because she had a brief rest from the Ministry as an Auror, for only a day or two though. Her pink hair brightened the place up_**,**_ and she had a smile for everyone she passed in the corridors of the house.

Sirius was sitting in the armchair that was around the table to even out of the number of chairs. Remus, who was immensely enjoying the long break he had had from missions, was snuggled into Sirius's lap on the huge armchair, picking aimlessly at the strands coming loose from the arm of the chair. He looked so content and warm that Kenneth had to look away even though the way he was sitting was one that Kenneth wouldn't have thought to see him in for a long, long time.

It had been hard talking to Remus ever since they kissed two days ago. He hadn't really had much to say except to blush furiously whenever Remus was near him or spoke and try and hide the little growl of need that surfaced in him. It wasn't a growl that was necessarily from him. Up until he'd kissed Remus he'd really only had wholesome thoughts for the werewolf_**,**_ and he was sure that he still had those good thoughts of a simple crush perhaps slowly progressing into more for the werewolf.

It wasn't really him who'd growled with need at Remus several times in the past couple of days, it had been the wolf. The wolf was getting more and more jealous at every passing day at Sirius_**,**_ and he was_**,**_ too_**,**_ but he was controlling that jealously well because much to his annoyance he actually liked Sirius quite a lot. It was easy to push away though, the wolf's need and very strong feelings for Remus, much stronger than his own at this stage.

Yesterday, he'd let his mind wander quite a great deal and to his horror found he was thinking about ways to get rid of Sirius so he could get closer to Remus. He'd snapped himself out of it in an instance by sitting bolt upright in his bed and blinking furiously before grabbing at his hair that had decided to stop growing just above his chin in shaggy waves (Tonks thought his hair was beautiful and had even tried the style out on her own hair – despite its shaggy waves, his hair was soft and silky). It had been an appalling thing to think about_**,**_ and he was shocked at himself for thinking it but was glad to know that it hadn't really been him thinking that.

Sirius knew that Kenneth still liked the werewolf, and now so did Remus himself. It surprisingly wasn't very awkward at all, only for Kenneth. Kenneth had been trying to stay out of Remus's way because of the embarrassing things that kept coming from him yet Remus appeared to have no trouble speaking to him at all. And Sirius didn't seem to be threatened at all; he'd randomly strike up pleasant conversation with him that usually had nothing to do with Remus. Though this, Kenneth had to keep in mind, had only been going on for a couple of days. Perhaps Sirius wasn't threatened because he knew, all three of them knew, that Remus wanted Sirius more. Sirius was what he had wanted for a long, long time. Kenneth still did think this might soon end up being a very messy triangle.

He looked over at Remus curled up so comfortably in the arms of Sirius, let out a huge sigh that was dampened by nothing to announce his arrival into the kitchen. He thought for a second that Remus barely noticed him crossing the room and taking the chair further away from them rather than closer. He knew it would be better if he just stopped. Stopped this all right now. It would make it easier for Remus and

Sirius. And he wouldn't have to pretend that he didn't like the werewolf any longer. If Remus was happy with Sirius and after wanting someone for such a long amount of time and finally getting him, he was bound to be happy then Kenneth decided that was ok. His feelings would hopefully diminish in the future; after all_**,**_ there were more people out there. Remus was in a class of his own and seemed so overwhelmed by having so many people make their attractions and feelings towards him clear that Kenneth would have thought he'd never been loved before.

As he sat down it took a second or two to realize that Molly was standing over him, a boiling jug of coffee in her hands. Instantly, Kenneth wanted to cover his head in case she tried to slaughter him with it. But she was wearing a broad smile that looked harmless.

'Coffee, dear?' she asked, placing the cup down that was in her other hand before him.

'Uh, yes, thank you,' Kenneth managed to quip out.

This was the first time Molly had really acknowledged his presence without scowling or looking mildly panicked. He picked up the coffee to cover the look of confusion on his face as Molly sat down next to him. Remus stirred slightly as Molly sat down in the seat next to Kenneth, supporting a puzzled look on his face. Even Sirius looked a little confused.

It seemed after a few weeks of Kenneth staying at the house, and even through the full moon, Molly had finally decided that he really wasn't going to harm them. And two of her children, Fred and George had only stayed for a night but had stayed in the room Ginny and Hermione slept in when they were here, and Kenneth hadn't harmed them. Something harming her children was possibly her worst nightmare. Kenneth liked the notion that Molly didn't have issues with him being in the house where she usually resided. Kenneth had proven he was not a threat; his duelling was awful enough for even Molly to take him out if she was angry enough.

'Kenneth,' Molly muttered as he sipped his coffee looking at her with contemplative eyes.

'Mm?' he asked.

He wanted to keep the cup up to his lips so he could hide behind it_**,**_ but his sip was bordering on very, strangely long, so he put the cup down to look at her properly. Molly would have been very pretty in her heyday, she had a very soft face and large lashes that made her eyes wide and pearly. Kenneth didn't think he could ever imagine Molly being athletic but she was nice the way she was, plump and even cuddly looking. His own mother had never really been cuddly; she'd been bony and thin (though that hadn't stopped Kenneth as a child from hugging her whenever possible), he had inherited that kind of bony physic from her but thankfully his father had had a fair amount of meat on his bones so Kenneth hadn't turned out like a stick.

'Have you spoken to your parents at all?' she said in a troubled voice as if this had been affecting her deeply.

He knew that the Weasleys were a very family orientated group and often functioned as a unit_**,**_ but Kenneth's family had never really been that way. Sure, he loved his parents and brother_**,**_ but they had always been distant after the boys left home – especially now. That's what his mother had blamed their distantness on before, the fact that both Kenneth and his brother had left home as soon as possible. Kenneth's hospitalization could have brought them closer yet it didn't; it pushed them away.

He shook his head dismally, aware that Tonks had lifted her head to listen into the conversation. 'No, they haven't and I haven't either.' Kenneth didn't want to know where this conversation was going and didn't really want to be a part of it if Molly was going to get all emotional over it just because she'd decided Kenneth really wasn't an issue to her at all.

Molly actually tutted out loud, sighing deeply and shaking her head like her mane of red hair was blowing constantly in the wind. 'Just because ...?'

Suddenly, Kenneth wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. This was strange. Having Molly doting over him as she would Tonks or her husband wasn't his cup of tea, he didn't like to be doted over unless it was by a lover. And that thought, no, not something he wanted to think about. But Molly seemed to be genuinely interested in why his parents hadn't contacted him after the attack. She was probably trying to imagine what she would do in their place. Doing what they did and completely ignore their child because they weren't accepted into most of Wizarding society wasn't something she'd do.

'Yeah,' he said quickly returning to the coffee when he felt he wanted to get out of this conversation. 'I'm not safe anymore,' he added scathingly from behind the cup.

This was a bit of a verbal attack on Molly, whose eyes drooped as she understood what Kenneth meant by it. Though he hadn't really cared that Molly was not comfortable around him at first, it was interesting that it was only she who had still had an issue until today.

The rest of the conversation, if Molly had indeed intended one, was left hanging. A spike of awkwardness hung in the air, unmoving. It remained like that for a few minutes. Kenneth kind of staring above Molly's head at the empty space that sat there and Molly staring silently at the cup before Kenneth, either lost in deep thought or had nothing to say. Finally (or so it seemed to Kenneth) Molly lurched unsteadily to her feet, excused herself and left the room. The uncomfortable talk had got the better of them.

'Well,' Sirius muttered, drawing Kenneth's attention to him. 'You certainly shut your charisma down then,' he scoffed.

Kenneth shook his head. 'How worried is she about her family?' he asked. That had been the main thing he'd picked up from that very short talk.

'Absolutely terrified,' Tonks whispered_**,**_ and Remus nodded.

'It showed,' murmured Kenneth, catching Remus's eye briefly and smiling before turning back to the coffee in his hands and scowling. 'So, she's actually spending every day worrying and worrying?'

'Pretty much,' Tonks said. 'Arthur's well known for loving Muggle things and with the way the Ministry is being turned inside out she's going to have to worry about him at work. Fred and George,' Tonks rolled her eyes and grinned, 'Merlin knows what those two get up to. The whole family is basically all she thinks about twenty-four seven. And Ron all tied up with Harry. She worries about Harry_**,**_ too_**,**_ and Hermione.' Tonks sighed a little and stretched.

'Do you remember her Boggart?' Remus asked quietly.

'Oh, Merlin, that was awful,' hissed Sirius, looking pained as if Molly's Boggart had bothered him deeply.

'What is it?' said Kenneth, a little unsure if he really wanted to know.

'Her whole family,' Remus said. 'Harry, Hermione, everyone ... dead.' He shook his head and shifted against Sirius who tightened his grip on the werewolf, holding him tightly against him. Kenneth averted his eyes and looked to Tonks.

'She must be on the edge of breaking down,' muttered Kenneth. Tonks nodded sadly.

'It's easy to remember what happened to the Order last time round,' she said.

'Surely she would have known what being in the Order meant,' Kenneth said, 'with what happened last time and everything. Was she part of the Order before?'

Remus shook his head. 'No, she wasn't. And now her family is right in the middle. Molly knows what happened last time, how many died by being in the Order. No wonder she's so worried.'

'Why did you join, Kenneth?' Tonks asked. 'If you know what happened last time and all.'

'I needed something to do,' he said with a shrug.

'Kenneth will be helpful,' Sirius said firmly, even smiling. 'He knows Inez Malfoy quite well.' Tonks looked surprised; her pink brows rose and nearly disappeared into her hair. 'And they don't know he's joined the Order either. He could be very helpful,' Sirius added something which always chilled Kenneth to the bone whenever he heard it. 'Lucius Malfoy also fancies him a wee bit.' Sirius turned to Kenneth in some confusion. 'How does he even know what you look like?'

'I've met him once, very briefly with Inez.'

'You've had the charming pleasure of meeting the relatives,' Tonks said with a snort. 'Lucky, lucky you.'

'Can't say it was the best meet and greet I've ever been to,' Kenneth added.

Remus had sat bolt upright. 'You can't be thinking about what Snape suggested?' he asked in a hissing tone to Sirius.

'What did Greasy suggest?' Kenneth asked picking up on the sharp snap of fear in Remus's voice and the flurry of his movements.

'He's right though,' Sirius said, ignoring Kenneth's question and Tonks inquiry. 'Kenneth could get right into the Malfoy Manor. He could get right close to Lucius. It could be so helpful to the Order.'

'Do you have any idea what Lucius would do to him if he got his hands on him?' Remus asked. 'You know that once Lucius sees someone he likes that he always tries to get them even if he doesn't see them for a long, long time. You've heard what he does to people who catch his eye.'

'I'm sure Kenneth could handle it.'

Even Tonks looked mildly shocked. 'Did Snape really say that sending Kenneth right into the Malfoy Manor would be a good idea?'

'None of them know I'm with the Order now,' Kenneth said drawing all three pairs of eyes to him. 'Inez even asked me if I'd join the Death Eaters because of being a werewolf. What would I need to go there for? Isn't it obvious he's a Death Eater?'

'Yes,' Remus said. 'I don't see the need for you to go. And you won't,' he added strongly.

'I never meant right this second,' Sirius said grinning at Remus and touching his hair softly. 'Snape is right in it being useful though. If they don't find out Kenneth is part of the Order we could have a great advantage for some time. If we do decide to send him in - of course Dumbledore would make the final decisions -,' he said as if to rest Remus's fears, 'if he could stay out of Malfoy's way he'd be able to get in and out.'

'It couldn't be that simple!' Tonks said. 'They are Malfoys, not idiots. Kenneth would never be able to walk around in the house without being caught or anything.'

'Then maybe he'd just have to go to Lucius,' Sirius said and then quickly held his hands up like a man affronted with a wand. 'I'm not saying he go right now! It was Snape's idea, not mine. No one thinks he should in this second. It was just a suggestion.'

Kenneth grinned to himself. 'You can keep arguing about my safety,' he said even sounding a little self-important to his own ears. 'I don't mind, it's quite nice actually.'

Sirius snorted_**,**_ and Tonks giggled. Remus smiled lightly. It made Kenneth think about what it would mean to go into the arms of Lucius Malfoy just to help the Order scope out the house of the Malfoys and determine whatever they needed determined. Kenneth didn't know really_**,**_ but he was certain that it wouldn't be pleasant. He would be violated in possibly every way by Lucius. He'd heard that the Malfoys weren't very exclusive in their relationships, especially Lucius and his wife. There had been tales of young people that caught Lucius's wandering eye and ended up back in his bed with his wife watching nearby. The thought of it made him uncomfortable.

Being in the Order meant Kenneth would have to face danger sometime soon, and he could cope with that. As long as he was told about what would go wrong and what the dangers were before he entered whatever he was sent into, he would be fine. If it would help the Order for him to go into the Malfoy Manor, then fine, he would. He was a valuable asset, Sirius was right. Inez had offered him a place as a Death Eater, low rank but a Death Eater all the same and Lucius had seen him and wanted him. He could get places with that, all for the Order too. As long as he went in knowing what could go wrong and came out in one piece, or close to it, he saw no problem. He'd agreed to this. It would be a mission to do that and he'd do it as best he could.

Secretly, it sent shivers down his spine that Remus refused for him to go.

* * *

'You have to stay, Kenneth!' Remus said as Kenneth clung tightly to his sleeve.

'What?' he hissed. 'Five of you are going to fight how many odd?' He shook his head raggedly. 'No, I'm coming!'

'No, you aren't!' Remus said shaking him off. 'Dumbledore will be there in a matter of seconds, we don't need any more help. You need to stay here.'

'What the fuck for?' asked Kenneth sharply. 'I'm part of the Order, why can't I come?'

'In case something happens, we'll send inured people back here through the Floo network at the Ministry,' said Remus.

Kenneth ground his teeth, frustrated beyond belief. He wanted to help them. 'But that's ridiculous!' he said. 'I'll be more help if I'm actually there. You know I'm rubbish at healing! I can't even heal myself.'

'And your duelling is better than your healing is it?' Remus asked rudely in a moment of panic and fear for the children they were going to rescue.

'I can protect them!' he shouted.

'No!' Remus shouted back. 'We need you here. Stay here!' And with that, he was gone. Apparated like the rest of the Order had with no noise at all, to the Ministry.

Harry Potter, who was sounding more and more like a nitwit each day, had been lured to the Ministry by You-Know-Who placing some kind of vision of Sirius being tortured into his head. And now he'd led his friends there in a desperate attempt to save someone who was safely locked up in Grimmauld Place in the middle of a card game. The boy was more gallant and stupid than Kenneth could have ever thought. Had he not checked at Grimmauld Place before he went running off to the Ministry? It was a trap so eloquently laid. Lure Potter in with someone he cares most about and then capture him - simple yet obviously effective if Potter had waltzed right into it.

Now, from Remus's instructions, he'd been held back at the house like a prisoner when he could be helping them there. Merlin knew they needed more help rather than five Order members, no matter how many of them had been trained as Aurors. Anything could happen. They weren't just dealing with a band of misfits. Well, perhaps Potter and his friends could be described as such_**,**_ but the Death Eaters weren't going to think twice about saving lives in order to get what they wanted.

'Does Harry Potter always do this?' he asked Molly who was sitting on the chair looking fearful. Her son was probably there, as he was Harry's closet comrade – or so Kenneth had gathered. Maybe this was all her worst fears coming true.

'Do what?' Molly asked, her voice croaking.

She'd spent a long time ever since they'd been noted of Harry's dangerous night trip looking at the grand clock she had with all the faces of her family on it. Everyone's was pointing at "in mortal danger". She hadn't moved when Tonks, Sirius and Lupin had run off with intentions to met Kingsley and Mad-Eye at the Ministry. It was like she'd been stunned. If anything, Remus had probably wanted Kenneth to be there to keep her calm.

'Endanger everyone around him by doing stupid things?' he asked.

'Far too regularly,' Molly said softly, her voice quavering. 'But the poor boy doesn't go looking for trouble,' she added. 'Trouble finds him.'

Kenneth shrugged. 'Sounds like he walked right into this one,' he scowled as he said and crossed his arms over his chest really not enjoying being left behind.

After sitting there at the kitchen table with his arms crossed acting similar to that of a wronged four year old, he realized something. There was no way Molly could stop him from going and there were no injuries for Kenneth to assist with. He'd been sitting there for near on half an hour and nothing had occurred, no word, no sign or anything. There was no one there to tell him to sit back down as he rose from his chair. Molly's eyes only flittered up to him as he moved across the room; she didn't say anything but it was possible she thought he was just leaving the room. No one was stopping him from going right to Remus and Sirius, so he did. No melodramatics would break out if he left. Molly didn't stop him.

* * *

When he arrived in the Hall of Prophecy, having to Apparate into the main area of the Ministry, he found the hall in a blackened state. He'd found his way there by the amount of noise issuing out from the room and firstly it had been a chance game on finding the right floor. What he saw was something far worse than the contained situation Remus and Sirius had made this out to be. Dumbledore was there, rounding up a group of very wild, crazy Death Eaters all of whom were no match for the wizened wizard. Several Hogwarts students, he could tell by their age – they looked very young, were hovering around the room doing the best they could to help Dumbledore though none of them seemed to really know what to do. Some of the young people looked hurt and one had blood streaming from a nose that looked broken.

The second thing he did after he came into the room rather unnoticed was build up a shield around himself as he could concentrate on holding it and it would protect him from a rogue spell if he got hit, while he looked for Remus.

The noise of fighting and some screams and shouts filled his ears as he looked. The screaming sent shock waves through him and he couldn't identity who those shrill shrieks belonged to, nor could he smell Remus's scent.

He suddenly caught a fleeting glimpse of Remus up on the dais in the centre of the room. The dais looked to be primarily there because of what stood on it – a huge doorway that looked to come out of just the other side, it was covered by a shimmering fabric that looked like cloth but from the way it moved Kenneth couldn't really be sure. Remus was restraining Harry who was doing most of the screaming from running at this doorway. For something both Remus and Sirius had been so confident about ending quickly, it had turned into such a mess. Harry was screaming his head off, struggling wildly in Remus's arms and the werewolf was having a hard time coping with keeping under control. Kenneth saw pain in both of their faces.

He was about to run up to the dais and help Remus, let him know he was sure because the place was a mess. Kenneth should have come in the first place. But before he even took a step towards it, someone burst his shield with a shattering and blinding blue jet of light. He spun wildly around from the dais and found himself face to face with Lucius Malfoy.

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	15. Wonderwall

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Wonderwall

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

**hint I love feed back /hint**

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Kenneth gasped and stepped back, his wand held high between Lucius's neatly plucked eyebrows. But the Malfoy sniggered, taking a step closer to Kenneth to match his without taking notice of his wand. Kenneth readjusted his grip on his wand and pressed it into the space between the Malfoy's eyebrows and above his nose_**,**_ yet the man merely laughed.

'Go on,' he muttered, licking his bottom lip softly as he spoke. 'I trust you daren't.'

He didn't lower his wand but adopted a scowl instead. No spells came to mind as Lucius stepped out of the way of his wand and closer to him yet, moving with a slink in his step. He had such a terrifying presence about him_**,**_ and no words reached Kenneth's lips at all. Only the thoughts of the interest the Malfoy had in him reached his mind, no crafty sentences to get himself out of here. Lucius slid his hand into Kenneth's and pulled his wand out of it, chuckling to himself as he pressed himself against Kenneth. Even in the centre of the battlefield this went unnoticed.

'I had no idea,' Lucius purred into his ear. 'Inez never told me you ran with this ... lot now. Your pack,' he added_**,**_ and Kenneth could almost hear the smirk in his voice. 'Werewolf,' he said, 'how utterly delicious. Your being in the Order should make this so much more interesting. Would they even come for you?' he asked. 'If I took you now, would they even come for a werewolf? A mystery as to why they've even kept someone as soft as Lupin around. Greyback and I know what makes a true werewolf. But I myself like my boys to be beautiful,' he murmured as he stroked the side of Kenneth's face. 'Greyback would have fun with Lup – arhgh!'

He'd had enough of this and suddenly regained the will power to move his body. With Lucius pressed so close against him, however looming he was, it was easy for Kenneth to strike out. With added anger and the strength of a wolf, he could have killed Lucius if he placed his punch right. His balled fist connected with Lucius's lower stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and his knee flew up to connect sharply with the Malfoy treasures. Lucius crumpled, unable to regain his breath at the moment_**,**_ and Kenneth was sure his privates would be aching up a storm. As Lucius had fallen, Kenneth had yanked his wand out of the man's hand and spun it around in his fingers, pointing it back at Lucius's head.

'Embarrassing,' Kenneth said mimicking the gentle tone Lucius had used with him just seconds ago. He crouched down beside the man, holding his wand directly at the man's blond head. 'So embarrassing! You went down from a punch to the stomach and a knee in the crotch. How embarrassing! Lucius Malfoy went down without even a spell cast.' Kenneth knew he had a gleeful smile on his face as Lucius tried not to squirm. 'Best thirty seconds of my life,' he said standing on his feet and looking down at the man in too much pain to move, 'seeing a Malfoy looking as pathetic as you. Next time, think twice,' he suggested in a low whisper as he saw Kingsley nearing. 'I could have killed you.'

'Kenneth,' Kingsley muttered in his low deep voice as he looked down at Lucius Malfoy lying on the stone floor with the expression of a stunned mullet on his face. 'What did you do to him?' he asked puzzled as Lucius clutched at his stomach and groin in the most undignified way.

'Uh,' Kenneth grunted and turned his head away from Malfoy. 'I punched him in the stomach,' he said, deciding not to add where else he'd hit Malfoy.

'Of course,' Kingsley said. 'Extra strength!' He cocked his dark head and looked down at Malfoy himself. 'I don't think he was expecting that. Oh well,' he said and muttered a short levitation spell to move Lucius over to the other collection of Death Eater's Dumbledore had been rounding up. 'Well done,' he added.

Kenneth smiled shortly back, his smile fell short though. He knew that if Lucius ever had the chance to get close to Kenneth again, he could very well be the last person Kenneth ever saw. As he'd probably just landed him in Azkaban with a life sentence, Kenneth could be safe. Grimacing, he kicked a lose stone from the floor. Merlin, if Lucius _ever _got his hands on him again he'd really be screwed. It would be no use in telling Lucius to stick it because he'd just embarrassed the man_**,**_ and Lucius still wanted him. Hopefully that desire would wain over time.

Suddenly, there was a great screech from a crazy haired female Death Eater who ran at the door, Dumbledore right on her heels. Kenneth never would have believed the old man could move this fast if prompted. Another yell of pure hatred and pain shot up from behind him. He twisted around to see that Remus had lost his control over Harry. They must have been struggling with each other while Kenneth had been confronted by Lucius. Harry had broken away from Remus and had jumped off the dais running after the woman. He zipped out of the hall where the other members of the Order and the captured Death Eaters were.

An Order member must have made a move to follow them because Mad-Eye yelled out. 'No!' he barked. 'Dumbledore's with him. Come here and help me with Tonks. She's hurt.'

Before Kenneth could brace himself, Remus had run past him as well, running for the door which the three had gone through before. Quickly, and quite remarkably Kenneth stopped him by grabbing the man around the waist and holding him tightly.

'No,' Kenneth repeated like Mad-Eye but in a much more reasonable voice because he'd seen the distress in Remus's eyes. 'He'll be fine. Dumbledore's with him.'

Remus let out a choked noise in answer that made Kenneth pull his face close to him, out of the comfort of his shoulder where Remus had rested it almost in a defeated way, to get a good look. The older werewolf looked so hurt and utterly at a loss of what to do that Kenneth could see the amber flecks in his eyes that were rarely there. Remus was refusing to look him in the eye.

'What happened?' he asked softly. 'Where is Sirius?' he muttered without thinking. Why was Remus about to cry into his arms when he could cry into those of his lover? 'Where is Sirius?' he asked again like he couldn't quite believe it himself. He knew what happened; it was all over Remus's face.

'Through the veil,' whimpered Remus, sounding more vulnerable than Kenneth had ever heard him. He turned his body towards the dais_**,**_ but his head would not follow_**,**_ and instead, Kenneth looked for him.

The dais, apart from having some chunks of stone spewed about its stony platform, was immaculate. The doorway that stood in the centre must be what Remus referred to and the shimmery piece before it could not be fabric like he had first thought. Strands of silver blew about behind the veil, as his beloved Remus had called it. It seemed as though if he took a step through, he would come out the other side.

'Where did he go?' he asked Remus. 'That goes nowhere but to the other side!' He pushed Remus away somewhat and ran to the dais stepping up the veil, determined to find Sirius for the werewolf. Remus needed Sirius more than Kenneth needed Remus.

'Kenneth, no!' Remus yelled coming up behind and grasping him firmly on the shoulder, pulling him back and away from the veil. Kenneth had been about to put his hand through. 'He's dead,' he said his voice falling back to one of pain and exhaustion. Remus ran his hands through his hair and over his face. 'He's gone, he can't come back through.'

Kenneth grabbed Remus around the waist again as he staggered, weighted down by the sheer meaning of what he'd said. 'Shh,' he whispered softly into the man's ear as Remus let out another small jagged sob. Strangely enough, Kenneth felt as though he needed some kind words as well.

'I'm not going to cry,' he murmured to Kenneth who shook his head wildly. Kenneth helped him step down the dais and near group of Death Eater's with half a mind to kick at Lucius Malfoy and really kill him this time.

Kenneth had nearly burst into tears the moment Remus had said that, just wishing he would. It was like Alexander losing his Hephaistion. Alexander had mourned for eight months after Hephaistion's death and vowed he'd follow him soon after. He'd lost a friend and a lover today. Kenneth wondered if Remus had seen Sirius as invincible and indestructible compared to himself. He gripped the fabric of Remus's worn and torn cloak tightly as the man staggered once more, nearly tripping over his feet even though he was in Kenneth's arms.

'Come on,' Kenneth said quietly to him as Remus started to sway more and more in his arms. 'Let's go back.'

'We can't,' said Remus hoarsely. 'He's dead. We can't because he's dead.'

'Why not?' asked Kenneth.

'Ownership might have passed over to his cousin, who killed him_**,**_ and he's dead ...'

'Remus,' Kenneth warned shortly, knowing the man probably wouldn't want to break down completely right here.

'Ownership might have passed to his cousin, Bellatrix because he was really the last Black who hadn't been married off. It would go right to his cousin.'

Kenneth had to admire Remus's practicality and thoughtfulness in a situation such as this_**,**_ but there was no reason why his cousin would go there the instant she'd killed him. 'We can go there,' he urged.

'No, we can't. What if she comes, what if they all come?' Remus said.

'Where can we go then?' he asked.

'The Burrow,' Remus said in an instance. 'The Burrow, the Weasleys' home.'

'Molly's still at Grimmauld Place.'

Remus shrugged this off as an insignificant detail. 'I can't go anywhere right now,' he muttered pushing away from Kenneth. 'Hermione and Neville are hurt, so is Luna.'

* * *

That night, Kenneth lay alone thinking of Alexander and Hephaistion. He watched the moonlight that danced on the windowsill from the safety of one of Molly's son's beds. They had gone to the Burrow. Kenneth thought that was out of Remus's fear for the place being raided by Bellatrix and because the thought of Sirius was too strong in such a place. It felt good to be in such a warm loving home, but the pain had risen in his chest when Remus had refused Kenneth's comfort that night. All he'd offered was to lie beside Remus just to ease the pain_**,**_ but Remus, so innocent, had taken it completely the wrong way. His cheeks had puffed out in anger_**,**_ and he'd looked so desperately confused that Kenneth had had to swiftly tell him what he'd really meant. Still Remus had refused.

It had led him to think of Alexander and Hephaistion for some completely unknown reason to him, maybe just the fact that he'd thought of Remus and Sirius like Alexander and Hephaistion the day just gone. His father, being Muggle, had been keen on ancient Greek history – Alexander the Great in particular. His interest had provoked an interest in Kenneth also. Though his dear dad stayed away from the homosexuality of Alexander's relationship with Hephaistion as his discomfort in such matters hindered him greatly, Kenneth_**,**_ who had much more influence from the Wizarding world than the Muggle_**,**_ loved their romance greatly. Hephaistion – described as being tall, incredible handsome and there was always something mentioned about this thighs – would have won Alexander over with a blink of his eye. They had been childhood friends and rode together for many years, until Hephaistion suddenly, leaving Alexander in shock and anguish. Alexander – beautiful, but not as beautiful as his Hephaistion was strong and determined. Kenneth remembered what was said of Alexander from the books his father had. It often mentioned that Alexander was ruled by Hephaistion's thighs.

'"You were not mistaken; this man, too, is Alexander."' Kenneth whispered it to himself and smiled.

Alexander had said this about Hephaistion when a woman had gotten the pair of them mixed up as Hephaistion was so much taller than Alexander and possibly had a fiercer glint to his eye. They were one the same, they loved so much they were one. It was beautiful.

Would Sirius have been Alexander? Most possibly, Kenneth thought. But it was Hephaistion who died first. Hephaistion had had a knack for being both charming and quarrelsome, or so his father's books had said and to him that sounded much more like Sirius or himself. Arrian described Alexander as possessing a great personal beauty, having a keen intellect and being brave and adventurous and that he had an "uncanny instinct for the right course." To Kenneth it sounded like Remus. It fit so well. Sirius was Hephaistion and Remus was his Alexander. But most of all and perhaps the most important thing about their whole relationship was that Alexander and Hephaistion had been friends, best friend's right until the end.

Those horrors being the death of Sirius and Lucius Malfoy just being there to nearly take him. Kenneth hadn't seen it coming. Never would he have thought a life could be taken simply by drifting into a veil, or that was how he understood it. He was somewhat vague on the subject of Sirius's death. If he had just fallen through the veil there should be some way to fetch him back. Maybe he wasn't dead, just lost behind the shimmering wall.

Suddenly_**,**_ the door to the room he was staying in cracked open a little. Kenneth jumped from shock, his eyes pulling away from the moonlight_**,**_ and he expected to see Lucius Malfoy standing in the doorway, wand out ready to make him pay for the embarrassment he'd caused and ready to make Kenneth give him what he wanted all along. He may have let out a short gasp of fright because the person at the door let out a soft hushing sound.

It was Kenneth's Alexander.

'Kenneth?' asked Remus crossing silently over the room. He sounded haunted and restless. Even walking over made him sound weary and hard done by. 'Are you awake?' his voice mused, soft and delicate though struck with remorse. Kenneth felt him settle heavily on the bed beside him.

'Yes,' Kenneth replied shifting his body over in the bed so Remus would have space to sit or lay there, whatever he wanted.

'I couldn't sleep,' said Remus. Kenneth caught his face in the moonlight as he twisted around. Before when he'd first sat, his back had been to Kenneth, now he'd moved around to face him. 'If I couldn't sleep,' began Remus, 'I would have gone to Sirius – before Azkaban. Please,' he said suddenly, 'don't try and be funny tonight. Please be serious. Are you alright?' he asked Kenneth suddenly. 'You're shaking somewhat.'

'I thought you were Lucius Malfoy,' Kenneth admitted slowly. 'Talk to me, Remus,' he said, 'and I promise I'll listen seriously.'

'I told you not to come,' Remus said. 'I said you shouldn't come. There was no need for you to come.'

'You mean to say you had the situation entirely under control?' he asked sharply.

'What if you had, too?' Remus hissed, tired from the events of the day and eyes dry from so many tears. 'What if you had died as well, Kenneth?'

'No more,' Kenneth whispered sounding strange even to himself. He'd been thinking too much of Alexander and Hephaistion and had now started to talk like the scholars wrote they did. Just two words but said in a highly brazen whisper.

'I can't help thinking what if everyone had died and then it was just me left alone.'

'Remus, stop it, I'm serious. You don't sound like yourself.'

Remus let out a grunting sigh and leaned back against the pillows of the small bed Kenneth was in. Kenneth touched his arm lightly.

'You're cold,' he sighed. He bravely lifted up the blankets near Remus, watching the man's face as he opened his bed to him. 'I won't do anything,' he said softly.

'How do I know? - half the time you're horny,' Remus muttered but slipped into the warmth of the bed anyway.

Kenneth's heart nearly jolted right out of his chest when he felt Remus's leg brush his own. 'What are you going to do?' he asked.

'When?'

'I mean now that Sirius's is gone, what are you going to do?'

'I have to be strong,' murmured Remus. 'Harry thinks it was his entire fault Sirius died. And he also thinks that he may be the only one who cares deeply enough for it to affect him.'

'The Boy Wonder's certainly selfish.' He was going to say something else but Remus's hand touched along his thigh. Kenneth was sure it wasn't intentional_**,**_ but it rendered him speechless.

'Sirius was his godfather,' Remus went on to say. 'He was really the only good family he had left.'

'What about you?' Kenneth asked.

'That's why I need to be strong,' Remus said. 'For Harry. He didn't know about me and Sirius_**,**_ and I'm not going to tell him. It'll just make him feel ten times worse. He blames everything on himself.' Remus shook his head. 'It's not fair,' he murmured.

'I know,' Kenneth told him softly. 'I know it's not. You don't have to be strong,' he murmured, flopping down against the pillows, his head resting right next to Remus's.

'Yes, I do,' Remus said. 'Harry is going to be looking for someone to guide him who was close to Sirius.'

'And who was closer than you,' Kenneth said with a faint smile, finishing his sentence for him. 'But what about Dumbledore? Isn't he Harry's mentor?'

'Mm,' Remus said in dull agreement. 'But he needs someone of a younger age.'

'Did you love him?' Kenneth asked quickly and suddenly. He wanted to move away from talking about Harry for fear Remus would start blathering on about what was his duty and what wasn't. 'Sirius, I mean,' he added when Remus shot him an odd look.

'Of course.'

'How much?'

'... More than anyone.'

'Then you should be allowed to cry and mourn like Harry is. Sirius was your lover, Remus. You don't need to be strong for Harry. You can cry, and Harry can stick it.'

Remus smiled softly, moving his head to look directly at Kenneth who could see his tears in the moonlight.

'Mourn in your own time,' Kenneth said. It did feel as though he were talking of Alexander and Hephaistion.

* * *

Where did people go once gone? What happened to them?

Did their souls float listlessly around on wind from an unseen source that rustled through trees in a place where there were none? Or perhaps they glided over water, looking down to see nothing as nothing was there. If a hand were to be reached out to this water, would fingers glide through it just below the icy surface or would nothing touch it? Perhaps it was a long lifeless land, like the Savannah of Africa, with dried grass and little water to spare. Did those there travel towards what they hungered for, life and who they loved? Would it be a game? Once they were close enough to touch the hands of who they so sorely missed would they be pulled back and to the beginning of the long trek? That must be hell, or it might even just be death.

Or was death a way to reminisce on life long gone? Maybe those who had died looked down at what they had left behind. If they wept or if they smiled was up to how they remembered. Was life after death clichéd?

Maybe those gone sat on clouds, strumming small guitars peaceful and took a fresh, wet grape given to them. Imagining anyone he knew who'd passed indulging in this kind of boring, relentless behaviour was hard. He couldn't imagine Sirius doing this nor could he imagine any of his grandparents, most of whom had been very vocal and probably sexually frustrated before they died. If that was the eternal peace of death, sitting amongst the clouds and watching people having all the fun, then he didn't want it.

Those who came back ... ghosts were just a figment of a person once living. They frightened him, ghosts. Who would want to come back after you'd gone? You'd never be the same person. If you came back for someone they'd want someone they could touch, kiss and hold. It's a very brave and committed person to love someone who is just an image and a mind. No contact would be immensely hard, not even the touch of a hand. Many of the ghosts who came back were indeed great scholars, historians of the magical world, wanting to see how the world would progress so they could record it down ... forever.

Kenneth grimaced. He didn't like any of these thoughts_**,**_ but the one that troubled him the most was something that he didn't want to think about. For all his disbelief in life after death what bothered him was the thought that there was actually nothing after death. Perhaps after death everything for you just ceased. No more, life was gone.

'Over there,' Tonks said jolting him from his thoughts and pointed, sullen faced to a group of teenagers approaching. Kenneth saw the smile she plastered across her face.

Kenneth hadn't had the chance to really meet Harry Potter and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and the younger girl must be Ginny, she had the red hair. He'd seen all of them briefly at the Department of Mysteries but there hadn't been time for a formal introduction, what with his assault of Lucius Malfoy and Sirius's death. But today when he would definitely have to met Harry and his gang, he would be on high guard to see if the boy really did think he was the only one Sirius's death could have affected.

'Right,' Kenneth murmured and slipped away from her over to Remus who didn't look at him but smiled at the company by his side.

'Ron, Ginny!' Molly called, swarming forth to envelop her children in a tight hug. Ron actually looked as though he might burst. 'Oh and Harry dear – how are you?' she asked once releasing them.

Harry mumbled something Kenneth could catch and his gaze turned to Remus as the werewolf spoke, then his green eyes rested on Kenneth and he frowned.

'Hello, Harry,' said Remus quietly, smiling slightly.

'I didn't expect ...' Harry said sounding very flustered as he looked from Remus to Tonks to Mad-Eye and then back to Kenneth with confusion. 'What're you all doing here?' he asked. 'And who is this?'

'Right,' Mad-Eye grunted. 'Forgot about him. He's nothing to worry about.'

'Charming,' Kenneth snorted back and crossed his arms.

'Kenneth Webber,' Remus said. 'He's joined the Order.'

'I saw you at the battle,' Hermione piped up though she spoke like she was treading cautiously. 'I thought you might have been a Death Eater, you were with Lucius Malfoy.'

Kenneth's expression dropped_**,**_ and Remus turned to stare at him, shocked.

'Kenneth put Lucius Malfoy in Azkaban,' Mad-Eye grunted, eager to get over this with. 'Kingsley said he captured him. As I said, he's nothing to worry about.'

'Well,' Remus started slowly still looking at Kenneth mildly shocked as he knew what Lucius had wanted with him. Kenneth could feel Harry's eyes on him as well and wasn't surprised when his senses decided that Boy Wonder smelt like burning trouble. 'We thought we might have a little chat to your aunt and uncle before you left them,' Remus finished with a smile.

Withdrawing his eyes from the crowd, Kenneth looked down at the stone before him. Mad-Eye hadn't wanted Kenneth to come today_**,**_ and Kenneth would have been happier if he hadn't now. Remus hadn't needed to know of his confrontation with Lucius Malfoy.

Arthur brushed past him, always enthusiastic to greet Harry. 'Ah, Harry!' he said. 'Well – shall we do it then?'

'Yeah, I reckon so,' Mad-Eye grunted and jostled past Kenneth and Remus. 'That'll be them over there?' he asked Harry, pointing towards three horrified looking people, two immensely fat and one thinner than a stick.

As the whole group of them walked over, Tonks, Mr Weasley, Mad-Eye, Remus and Kenneth included, Remus's hand stilled on his arm, stopping him.

'Lucius?' he asked faintly. 'I – ah, what happened?'

'Nothing,' Kenneth assured him easily. 'He waltzed over when I came in, talked crap to me for a while before I hit him. He'd taken my wand,' Kenneth added when Remus glanced up at him.

'Does he want ...' Remus stopped and sighed a little before continuing. 'Does he still want you?'

Kenneth nodded. 'Yes. And I pissed him off for taking him down without magic so the next time he gets me it'll be bad.'

'He won't get you, Kenneth.'

'Oh, and the cosy little plan Snape thought of is ruined now because he knows I'm with the Order.'

Remus seemed to breathe easy at this. 'Thank Merlin,' he murmured. 'Never would have Dumbledore allowed you to right into the Malfoy Manor anyway.'

'Desperate times call,' Kenneth said. He glanced up from the pavement of Kings Cross station and nearly giggled out right at the expressions on Harry's aunt and uncle's faces. He wondered if Mad-Eye would deliver the fatal blow by suggesting the presence of two werewolves if they did not treat Harry well this summer.

Harry's aunt was staring wide eyed at Tonks hair as the witch spoke. 'The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to Harry - '

'- And make no mistake, we'll hear about it,' added Remus very pleasantly.

Arthur felt like it was time for his two cents. 'Yes,' he said. 'And if you won't let Harry use the fellytone.'

'_Telephone,' _Hermione whispered, causing Kenneth to snicker again at the uselessness of Arthur's Muggle knowledge, though the man did try.

'If we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in anyway,' Mad-Eye added, 'you'll have us to answer to. And trust me; there are several of us you don't want to answer to on a bad day.'

Most eyes turned to Remus but then Hermione saw Kenneth looking around awkwardly and urgently whispered in Ron's ear, whose eyes widened and recollection crossed his face like he remembered Kenneth from his father's ward. He then nudged Harry and pointed idly towards Kenneth, who shrugged his shoulders more intent on watching the misery of the Muggles he lived with. That or he didn't understand what Ron meant by pointing at Kenneth. It had been like a domino effect. Hermione figured it out, told Ron who tried to inform Harry, who wasn't interested.

'Are you threatening me, sir?' Harry's uncle said loudly.

'Yes, I am,' Mad-Eye said a smile even crossing his face where Kenneth thought a smile could never go.

Kenneth didn't catch what the uncle said next as he was distracted by Arthur finding interest in a children's play toy that had bumped against his shoe. Just as he was about to lean down and pick it up the child it belonged to stormed through and snatched it away from him before hurrying after her father. Arthur looked purely bemused and fascinated by this and Kenneth found that so cute.

'So, Potter ... give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along ...' Mad-Eye grasped Harry's shoulder. 'Bye, then, Potter,' he said.

'Take care, Harry,' Remus said sweetly. 'Keep in touch.' Harry simply nodded to him before turning to his friends.

'His aunt and uncle seem like absolutely charming people,' Kenneth said stepping close to Remus again. 'They sound like real winners.'

'Oh, they are,' Remus agreed with a smile.

'Why's it so important that Harry's looked after properly?'

'Because he's safe from Voldemort -' Kenneth flinched, '- at their house. There is a safe guard there. Once he turns seventeen that's gone. He'll spend his time at their house until then until he's seventeen, then he'll probably come to the Burrow.'

'Why wouldn't they look after him though?' asked Kenneth. 'Look at their son; he's like a beached whale.'

'Why do you think Harry's so thin?'

'Good genes from his parents?'

'Mistreated as a child.' Remus looked up at Kenneth. 'He didn't get enough food_**,**_ and they kept him in a cupboard.'

'They could be arrested for that you know,' Kenneth said. 'That's child abuse.'

'But they kept him safe while Voldemort was looking for him,' explained Remus and again Kenneth winced at the use of the name. Remus laughed. 'Oh, Kenneth,' he muttered. 'It's just a name.'

'It's what it means,' Kenneth informed him, 'rather than how many vowels or letters it has, it's what it means! And if you keep saying it I swear half my face will fall off.'

'We wouldn't want that.'

'No, of course we wouldn't!' Kenneth said and looked around to see Fred and George each touching the other's dragon hide cloaks fondly as they wandered along. He pursed his lips and thought about the day at the Ministry. 'Can you believe he was actually in the Ministry?' he asked, to Tonks as well who had sidled up beside them after bidding good-bye to Harry.

They had difficulty walking through the crowds of the busy station side by side. People bustled past them though there was plenty of room to give a wide berth, shoving them and some even walked right through the centre of them like they didn't care about the amount of room around them.

Kenneth hadn't learnt of You-Know-Who's of presence in the battle until it was all over. Bellatrix had run off to be by her masters side, Dumbledore had known he was in the building, and Harry had wanted to kill Bellatrix as she'd murdered Sirius. He had learnt that Dumbledore had then taken Harry back to the school afterwards, as it was safe and the rest of the students' presence where much worse off than Harry and some were badly hurt. So they were all taken to the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Tonks had been to St Mungo's with relatively bad wounds. She had been the only badly injured member of the Order.

The whole Order agreed with Remus to move the meetings somewhere safer – which was the Burrow – before they could find out what had happened with the succession of the house. The main question now was had it gone to Bellatrix, Sirius's cousin and killer.

Kenneth was still having trouble thinking that Bellatrix had run off to be with her master who had come thinking that his hands could already by around Harry Potter's neck. Finding Dumbledore there, as Kenneth understood it, was the last thing he had expected. But he'd been there only seconds before Kenneth and Remus had left with consent from Mad-Eye that things were under control.

'I know,' Tonks said. 'Completely unbelievable, well – Fudge was surprised.' Kenneth and Remus had been filled on what happened in their absence as Dumbledore had told it to Mad-Eye.

Remus was silent.

'Do you think he believes it now?' asked Kenneth. He believed in what Harry Potter and Dumbledore had proclaimed a hundred percent now. He stepped out of a woman's way, who nearly whacked him with her hand bag as she passed.

'You'd hope so,' Tonks said. 'He did see it with his own eyes.'

'He could have been really drunk though,' Kenneth said. 'Kingsley said that afterwards he was staggering around the place and gulping like a fish out of water. Sounds to me like someone may have had too much whiskey beforehand.'

'He would have needed it before and after,' Tonks added. 'Wotcha,' she said to someone passing in the crowds and waved. Kenneth was suddenly overwhelmed with the smell of Tonks. She smelt like bubblegum and strangely wet freshly cut wood.

Kenneth coughed and rubbed his nose with a finger. 'He's going to crack under so much pressure,' Tonks said. 'He'll crack sooner or later. He's not cut out for the job when it starts to get serious.'

'Whatever happens,' muttered Kenneth busily pushing the smell of Tonks to the back of his mind, 'it should be interesting. Fucking interesting,' he added.

Remus wasn't speaking and just staring glumly ahead at the pavement as he walked. Even Tonks had looked around at him from the other side of Kenneth with a worried expression. Kenneth slipped an arm around the man's shoulders and he jumped suddenly as if not expecting the touch.

'Come on,' said Kenneth softly to him. 'It's a beautiful day. There's still a lot of time left. We could throw eggs at Mad-Eye if you'd like,' he added and Tonks grinned at this, chuckling a little whereas Remus only let out a little smile. 'What?' Kenneth asked them both. 'As if you two haven't thought of doing it just to see what he'd do?'

'It's ok,' said Remus shortly. 'I was just thinking that we couldn't possible live in the Burrow for much longer. Molly will have no rest especially now that the holidays have started up.'

Molly had allowed those who had a somewhat semi permanent home at Grimmauld Place to stay at the Burrow. Kenneth knew she didn't want it to be everlasting, neither did he. The main perk of living in Grimmauld Place had been living there for free after he joined the Order but as that option was now closed and Molly had other people to think of, Kenneth couldn't possibly stay longer than a few weeks at the Burrow ... tops. Remus was obviously thinking the same thing.

The new question was where would Kenneth go? - Hopefully somewhere with Remus and maybe even back to the Leaky Cauldron. There was something in, something very forceful, that didn't want to spend long amounts of time away from Remus. This wasn't just his crush on Remus talking. It was something more, something wolfish. Perhaps his wolf had decided Remus was his pack-mate. It had certainly taken long enough because Remus had said that from the way Kenneth's wolf was acting when he didn't have much control over it; it looked as though it wanted Remus for the pack.

Now, after spending so much time with Remus, Kenneth had probably thought of him as pack member for some time without thinking anything of it because they had lived in close quarters.

As he'd sold his house for a reasonable profit and would be able to live steadily of that for a long, long time. But rent free was brilliant yet he couldn't continue to stay with Molly though she'd opened the doors for them.

That night, back in the bed Molly had allocated him, he found himself staring out of the window again. Having a tendency to have the curtains open so he could look out, he found that he often fell asleep staring at the moon. And getting much more poetic the more he did so. But he liked the way the moon peaked through the trees and splayed across his pillow where his head rested. So long as it wasn't a full moon, he quite enjoyed it.

As it had happened the night before and many before that, after Sirius's death, there was a slight knock at the door and Remus peeked through the crack. Kenneth would have been asleep hours ago if he hadn't been waiting for Remus. The man seemed to pause for a second like he was thinking about whether he wanted to come in and the pushing right into the room.

'I want you to know,' he said quietly as he crossed the room to sit on the edge of Kenneth's bed, 'that I'm not looking to replace him.'

'I know,' Kenneth said trailing his hand down Remus's back as it was facing him. 'You just want some comfort. I've never tried anything with you at all,' he said as well. 'You just sleep.'

'I can't by myself,' Remus murmured. 'I get nightmares and I never sleep. But with you ... it's fine. I don't get any. It was the same with Sirius,' he said.

Kenneth scooted over in the bed when Remus showed signs of wanting to join him under the covers. 'Do you think,' he started, 'do you think that it's because of wanting to be in a pack or something? Because when I think of leaving the Burrow, like we have to, but it's hard not to think of you coming with me. Does that mean we've kind of become a pack without knowing it?'

'I've often thought your wolf and you were very pack orientated, so yes, I'd suppose so.' For some reason it was easier to talk about things in the dead of the night. Remus sighed and slipped in next to Kenneth, keeping his distance as was his custom. 'You have trouble thinking of living anywhere without me?'

'Mm,' Kenneth murmured. 'It's not just because I like you. It's something deeper. I'm pretty sure it's something to do with the wolf. Pack member, do you think?' he asked.

'Nice thought even if it's not that,' said Remus softly. He already sounded like he was drifting off to sleep. 'Do you mind me sleeping in your bed?' he asked suddenly.

'It's not my bed,' Kenneth reminded him. 'And no, I don't mind at all. If you can't sleep by yourself you're more than welcome to sleep with me. That sounds really strange, but I don't mind. As long as it helps.'

'It does help. It sounds ridiculous, a grown man getting nightmares and not wanting to sleep on his own,' Remus grimaced as he spoke. 'How pathetic.'

'It's not,' Kenneth muttered. 'I mean, seriously, it's not! Because you've lost someone and you'll be feeling alone and things. Go to sleep,' Kenneth said before he spurted off on an embarrassing rant about something or rather.

Remus yawned, right in Kenneth's ear. His breathe tickling his neck and side of his face. Kenneth shuddered and tried to inch away from the man but found the amount of bed available to them had run short. He would just have to learn to cope with Remus being right beside and keep his wandering hands to himself. The second night Remus had slept in his bed, Kenneth had had to make a break for the bathroom several times as the thought of the werewolf right next to him and that actually being the case had simply become too much. But there was nothing a good trip to the bathroom, a long stay using most things but the toilet and then back to bed.

He was beginning to like Remus lying next to him but he knew the werewolf didn't want to make a habit of it. For all Kenneth knew Remus could have promised himself this would be the last night he shared Kenneth's bed. And if Kenneth had things his way, it may not be.

* * *

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	16. All the Strange, Strange Creatures

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: All the Strange, Strange Creatures

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

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* * *

'Come on,' Remus said as he jogged down the stairs, speaking to Kenneth in a very upbeat tone in the kitchen. He had practically flown into the kitchen and wished everyone a good morning with the biggest smile that Kenneth had seen on his face in a long time. 'Come on,' Remus repeated and tapped his shoulder.

'Why?' Kenneth asked groggily. He was halfway through eating his breakfast – some cereal he'd chanced upon – and had absolutely no idea why Remus was so excited. All he knew was that Molly and Ginny were also looking confused and that Remus was smiling brighter than he had been in the last few weeks.

'Because,' Remus said with a smile, 'Dumbledore has a job for us.'

'Oh, really?' asked Kenneth, and Molly looked absolutely delighted.

Everyone had been thinking that Remus had been disappearing into himself after Sirius's death and needed something to do. Well, now here it was. Dumbledore had a mission for them. Beautiful. And as partners, he and Remus had to go on it together as that had been part of deal. Even more beautiful.

'What is it?' said Kenneth after he swallowed a mouthful of cereal and sounding squeaky because of that.

Ginny giggled at him, and Kenneth glared at her. The young Weasley girl found him rather amusing whereas Kenneth often wanted to slap her in the face but knew many people may be angry at him for such a move.

Remus shrugged. 'I don't know, but you need to hurry up. Dumbledore said he wants us at Hogwarts by ten.'

'But I just started eating!' 'By ten,' Remus said firmly and took the proffered piece of toast that Molly was holding before leaving the kitchen and back up the stairs to his room.

'So demanding,' sighed Kenneth. Molly took his bowl from him just as he was about to dip his spoon into it again. 'What is this?' he asked, making a grab for the bowl, but Molly pulled away. 'Can I not even eat breakfast anymore?'

'No,' she said. 'You'd best hurry up. It's ten to ten. Go,' she said, nodding pointedly to the door. 'Happiest I've seen Remus in a long time,' she mused. 'This is giving him something to do rather than dwell on Sirius.'

Carefully, Kenneth tried to reach back for his bowl, but Molly pulled it further out of his grip and walked back into the kitchen; Ginny laughed again. Letting out an indignant sigh, Kenneth turned and left the kitchen for the staircase that led up to the rooms. Remus's happy humming could be heard above the creaking and squeaking and the disgruntled groans of the ghoul the Weasleys had living in their house. Molly was right; this would do Remus some good.

Dumbledore could not have picked a worse day to give Kenneth and Remus a mission. It was raining outside, coming down in buckets to add to the noise around the house so much so that Kenneth wanted to stick his head out the window and snarl at the clouds. It had rained all night, pissed down seeming to never stop. The heavy rain pattered down over the countryside, turning everything into a messy bog. Arthur had left this morning with a slightly horrified expression on his face, unusual for him. But his expression was justified when he nearly sank knee deep into a pile of mud outside the front door.

The older werewolf slept well in the rain though. The previous night he'd come in to tell Kenneth that he didn't need to sleep in his bed tonight as the rain was soothing. It made Kenneth feel somewhat unneeded, but he knew that it was a good thing Remus had stopped with his nightmares. They truly had accepted each other as pack-mates. It sent a flush across his cheeks.

At the top of the stairs, Remus nearly walked into him, a smile plastered across his face. Kenneth couldn't help but smile back and place his hands on Remus's shoulders.

'You're really happy about this,' he mused.

'I haven't had a mission in so long,' replied Remus. 'It's nice to get out and do it again.'

'Even better that I'm coming this time?' asked Kenneth, raising his eyebrows suggestively with a smile.

Remus smiled softly and pushed back Kenneth's hands from his shoulders, but shook his head with a solemn sigh. He ran his hand through Kenneth's hair and looked straight into his eyes, brown eyes stared into brown eyes.

'It was a mistake to sleep in the bed with you,' murmured Remus. Kenneth frowned and tried to look away but Remus held strong. 'Very wrong,' he added. 'I shouldn't have. It was stupid of me to even think that your feelings wouldn't resurface if I didn't.'

'They never went away or anything,' Kenneth said back. Remus flinched as if he'd spoken You-Know-Who's name. 'I've always liked you,' he said. 'And I didn't mean it like that,' he said. 'What I said about coming with you, I didn't mean it in that way.'

'I know, but I just need to be sure you're hearing this. It's as much for me as it is for you. I'm not ready. I did it for some comfort,' said Remus determinedly. Comfort was really all it had been, they both knew that. 'It has to be something to do with pack-mates. I know I'd struggle without you, and that has to be something to do with the wolf.'

'So that's what two or so full moons can do if you spend them with another werewolf?' asked Kenneth uneasily.

He hadn't really thought that Remus sharing his bed had been anything but to banish his nightmares of Sirius dying again in his mind. Remus obviously thought Kenneth's feelings were coming back hard and strong and they were as they hadn't ever gone away. But they had bonded in some way. Kenneth found himself incredibly comfortable around Remus, as did the older werewolf, or he wouldn't have confided in Kenneth during those long nights.

'I suppose,' said Remus, pulling his hands away from Kenneth. 'I've never spent a full moon with another werewolf before you. But please, Kenneth,' he said seriously, 'just don't fall in love with me.'

Smiling slightly and coarsely Kenneth pushed passed him at the top of the stairs and made his way to his room. Remus was on his tail, he could hear the soft footsteps behind him and the sigh that followed. Kenneth was indifferent right now.

'More then I already have?' he asked softly as he entered his room, knowing Remus was still lingering behind him. Being as indifferent as he was trying to be he asked, 'do we need to bring anything? Are we expected to leave right away after Dumbledore's talked to us?'

'What do you mean?' asked Remus. Kenneth leant against the bed and looked around at the man. Wide eyed, he was, taking a lot from Kenneth's use of the expression. 'You love me?' he said almost hoarsely.

'You aren't used to this, are you?' Kenneth asked with a grin. 'Ok, I don't love you, I just really, really fancy you, right?' He licked his lips and nibbled at his bottom one. 'I can't make it much clearer than that. But trust me, I'll tell you when I finally fall.'

Kenneth knew Remus had never been good at relationships, his difficulty showing his feelings for Sirius showed that. It must be because he berates himself so much for what he is. He must think that having people like him, and confess that to his face would never work out because of his lycanthropy. But Kenneth also knew that he's like Remus, as he has a wolf, too, and goes through the same thing every month. Remus always lets people that love him, friends included, get away with so much because he's just happy to have them and is afraid he'll lose them somehow. The werewolf would never force an apology from Kenneth, or yell back at him if they were stuck in a very vicious fight unless he lost control.

Remus looked slightly mortified as Kenneth said that. 'Oh come on!' Kenneth grumbled. 'I'm not that bad, am I?'

'No,' whispered Remus, looking guilty for having that expression on his face. 'I just think that you shouldn't and you should be wary before you do.'

'What's the risk?' Kenneth asked smiling at Remus in a way that could be seen like he was trying to intimidate him into answering his question. 'Wait, wait,' he said urgently. 'I understand you've just lost Sirius, and I won't make a move on you at all if you don't want it.' He hated these kinds of conversations, but sometimes they needed to be said and spoken about. 'So I'm not going to do anything,' he said, holding his hands up in defeat and falling back on the bed with a dramatic display.

'Unless I want it?' asked Remus, sounding as though he hadn't really understood what he was talking about.

'One hundred percent correct,' said Kenneth from his place across the bed. He just wanted to assure Remus that he wasn't hopelessly in love with him, he just liked him a little more than a friend should, and it looked like Remus needed to hear that. 'I'm not absolutely, completely in love you,' he said softly. 'I just like you a lot. Trying to stop liking you more than a friend and a mentor didn't work, so I always figured that telling you would be the best thing.'

'Honest,' Remus said.

'I'll always be brutally honest,' Kenneth replied with a smile. 'You can be sure of it. Just because Sirius is gone that doesn't mean I'm going to jump you any second, ok? Pack-mates,' he said sitting up in the bed and holding his hand out for Remus to shake. This was, in a way, a deal.

'Pack-mates,' Remus agreed. 'But not that kind of mate,' he said as he clasped Kenneth's hand and shook it firmly. Remus looked rather estranged, like he didn't think he'd be having this kind of conversation with another, let alone with Kenneth for a second time. The two conversations had been different but had held one common theme – Kenneth's feelings for Remus.

The headmaster's office was silent and dull. Many of the portraits were sleeping soundly in their frames on various pieces of furniture that had been painted in with them and others were missing all together. If any of the students saw the former headmasters and mistresses in this sleeping state of open mounts and drool, there would be a lot of misfortunate for Dumbledore and his staff to deal with.

The office was dark and dreary as the weather outside dictated and even though it was early in the morning it could have well been evening. The heavy clouds and rain had not relented its onslaught of the country and even in Scotland where the castle was located and where the weather seemed to be coming from it hadn't ceased. Nor did it look to be stopping anytime soon. Dumbledore was standing at the window staring out as they entered.

'Greetings, hello, good morning,' he mused as they hovered about by the desk waiting to be asked to sit down. 'Is the weather this terrible in London?' he asked pleasantly, turning to face them and pulling his half moon glasses away from his eyes.

'Yes,' Remus said with a nod.

Dumbledore looked troubled. 'Pomona's new Mandrakes will be soaked through,' he said with a sigh. 'Mandrakes can become troublesome when they get wet.' The elderly man cleared his throat.

Kenneth sat down in the chair that Dumbledore directed him and saw Remus sit down in the one next to him; his eyes peaked with interest as he looked up at the headmaster who was standing before them.

'Your mission,' Dumbledore said slowly. He was speaking very seriously, but there was still a twinkle in his eye that Kenneth presumed never went away. Kenneth found himself leaning forward off his seat as Remus chewed his bottom lip. 'Your mission is to give audience to those who have requested it,' the headmaster said finally.

Kenneth crossed his arms and fell back into his seat with a huff. On the other hand, Remus was still interested and pleased.

'Who has requested the audience?' asked Remus.

'A hall of vampires up in the north,' said Dumbledore coolly, and Kenneth felt the blood drain from his face which was a funny experience when speaking of vampires.

'Vampires?' he whispered, shocked.

'Originally, they requested my presence to speak to them about the looming prospect of war,' Dumbledore continued, 'as they are fairly solitary they haven't heard much about what is occurring in the world around them. This sect up in the north kindly asked me to attend their little meeting and inform them with the promise that they would not drink from me or turn me.'

'Vampires,' repeated Kenneth.

And again Dumbledore ignored him or chose not to hear and reply to him. 'But when I told them I had two well informed werewolves just itching,' the headmaster spoke the word with a certain amount of glee in his voice, 'to get out and do some field work – no matter how much time indoors they may actually spend – they jumped at the opportunity.'

Remus seemed to be taking this mission without a hint of shock, and looked as though he was looking forward to the job.

'But I thought that vampires and werewolves hated each other. I thought that was a general rule,' Kenneth said, slightly overcoming his shock by realising there must be a few things he didn't know of.

'No,' Remus told him with a shake of his head. 'There is no hatred between us contrary to popular belief. Vampires, all of them nearly, are safe around werewolves and enjoy our company because -' Remus smiled, 'apparently werewolves are unappetizing, and our blood tastes tainted.'

'Tainted?'

'Mixed genes. Changed after being bitten,' Remus said.

'Oh, right.'

Dumbledore cleared his throat, the sound echoing around his office. 'This is the only area in Europe, except for Germany, were there is the largest grouping of vampires living as one.'

'Naturally,' murmured Remus to Kenneth, 'the Ministry keeps an eye on it closely.'

'Amazing that they've managed to live together for so long,' the headmaster commented. 'I for one would surely find the same company tedious after a few hundred years or more. Some vampires are starting to take sides,' he said, turning somewhat serious again, 'but this group wants to find out as much as they can before contemplating anything. During the last war, I believe that most took the side of Voldemort.'

Remus shuddered and Kenneth placed a hand on his arm, not looking at him as he did so.

'This led to mass exile,' Dumbledore continued. 'Even those in control of the thirst – as much control as possible – were exiled away from human populations. Many of the immortal were killed in the first war by sideline antics and as the second war looks to be looming, they want to know if they should even risk anything to join a side.'

'Isn't it obvious what side should be taken though?' said Kenneth. 'The Order?'

'Vampires are followers of both light and dark. While many werewolves find it simple to stick to one path, vampires cross as they please.'

'Then what's the point in us doing this if they might just switch sides again and again?'

'They seem very interested this time,' Dumbledore spoke softly. 'This war will be big and they want a place in history.'

This castle, or haunt, way up in the north was not named nor was the location told to either man. After returning to the Burrow for a brief time to pack for several days' worth of clothes, and a possible full moon spent there, they Flooed back to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore had presented them a Portkey before eliciting them a small smile and bidding them luck. Kenneth wished he had a vial of Felix Felicis, as he'd need all the help he could get.

His nerves were beginning to show, sweaty palms and jittery legs. He'd never met vampires before and all he'd heard about them was against them. The older werewolf was glowing in confidence and pleased to be simply doing something. There wasn't any worry in Remus so Kenneth tried to calm his nerves and match the man next to him.

The nerves could hardly be just attributed the fact of vampires involved in this but that it was his first mission. Of course he would be jittery on that, whatever was included.

The mission was to enlighten the sect of vampires in the north to the case of most of the Wizarding world and hopefully pull them over to the side of the Order. And Dumbledore hinted to them that after doing this, werewolves might be their next stop. Remus was sure they would do it, and the vampires would join them too. After all they would give a very one sided argument. It would be easy, even Dumbledore sounded like he was sure of success.

Kenneth held a finger over the Portkey, with a smile of reassurance from Remus. He'd be ready when the older werewolf gave the word. He wasn't very practised in travelling by Portkey and in reality only done it once or twice. He preferred Apparition.

No matter how the way to get there put him off, he tried to remember that this was his first mission. That sent a thrill of shivers down his spine, and he shuddered. It was a little exciting to be going on his first mission. And one good thing he had heard of vampires was that most of them were beautiful.

He looked at Remus. But no vampire could ever be as stunning as Remus was to him. He was a vision. Soft, light brown hair sitting gently around his face, sharp cheekbones that could have brought out a gaunt expression in his face but did not, leaving Remus looking amazing fresh and handsome in the eyes. Where his skin wasn't scarred was so soft, in the few places Kenneth had had the pleasure of touching fleetingly. Remus had a kind face, an intense face. He was beautiful. And Kenneth had fallen hard. Right on his backside for the older man, with a resounding thump too. His beauty, knowledgeable mind and personality had made sure Kenneth fell harder than he ever had for anyone.

Kenneth gathered himself to his feet, staggering to the left and bumping into Remus as he fought to regain his balance. They had landed in an immense field that seemed to stretch out for miles in the direction Kenneth was staring in. He turned to his right with a sigh of relief. Not everywhere was covered with grass and trapped in with an old fashioned, highly expensive looking wooden fence. A small forest of trees stood, swaying gently in the softest breeze, to their right.

Both Kenneth and Remus were staring avidly at them as there was nothing different about the fields on the other side of them.

What had captured both werewolves attention was the flicker of movement in the trees and the babble of sound that followed. In interest, Kenneth stepped forward to peer into the leafy expanse. It wasn't far away from them but by no means were they standing right next to the gathering of trees. Movement sprung to his eyes again, and he was sure he could see people moving towards them through the trees. He found himself sniffing slightly to try and smell whoever it was. Remus had crept forward an inch or two and was peering forward with intrigue.

'It's them,' Remus said lightly and decisively.

And then, the vampires must have come closer and closer as Kenneth could suddenly hear a rush of noise enter his ears even though his eyes hadn't really picked out the location of their hosts in the trees. He could hear them talking to each other as they came closer to meet them.

'Tramping through mud and ferns, guh!' one muttered sourly. A female or it sounded so to Kenneth. 'Just for some werewolves! Why can they not come to us?'

'Did you not hear, Maryanne?' another asked the female. This male voice sounded light and free to Kenneth. 'When we left the castle Morgan told us they are not to know the location. I do not know why.'

They came into sight just after the male had finished speaking. Kenneth couldn't see their faces clearly, but Remus had let a small gasp fly from his throat at the beauty of these creatures nearing them. All three were as pale as milk. The woman, Kenneth could only assume she was, had red hair that was a stark contrast to her fine skin. It flew down past her shoulders and seemed not to be on her head but moving with her with radiance. The last two were men, both as pale as the female.

'Look,' the man who had not spoken muttered softly as they left the shelter of the trees and neared the fence. 'There they are. Why is it that nearly every werewolf has messy, uncontrollable hair? Is it something that just happens when they get bitten, or is it some kind of requirement?' The female laughed at this comment, and her fiery hair moved with her laughter.

'I like it,' the other man commented wistfully. 'Every single vampire in the castle is so well groomed,' the vampire said and reached out a hand to stroke the women's red hair, 'it gets boring and dull after some time. I would like to see some mess occasionally.'

Remus touched Kenneth's hand. Kenneth looked to him, and he was blinking fiercely like he had been trapped in some kind of trance by the words their hosts were saying. Kenneth had to admit he had been enraptured by their beauty was they approached and it was difficult to look away from them. But Remus had grabbed his hand to indicate to him that they needed to move or else the vampires would walk the entire way to them, two men frozen like jelly in the company of immaculate beauties.

They trudged across the grassy field. Kenneth avoiding rabbit holes and having to keep his eyes down as he would as sure he'd trip up or get his foot stuck in a burrow if he didn't. The vampires had stopped talking when they had started to walk to towards them. Kenneth couldn't hear the crunch of feet across dried leaves and fallen twigs so he assumed they had stopped before the barrier.

'Look up,' the women said, most likely to Kenneth as his eyes were down, navigating the field full of warrens. 'Look up, youngster!' she said again, louder in case he hadn't heard her.

Kenneth obliged. 'Didn't want to trip,' Kenneth said feeling a little blush across his face. 'Your field is full of rabbit holes.'

'Oh, we know,' one of the men said.

He had soft blonde hair that covered his forehead perfectly and his light blue eyes stared out from under his fringe. He had the most amazing cheekbones Kenneth had ever seen on a man and a nose that fitted his face well. The vampire whose eyes were now locked on Kenneth's, making him a slither uncomfortably, smiled before dropping his eyes away to the other man who stood beside him.

The woman was staring at Remus with deluded eyes. She looked as though she was horrified by the older werewolf's scarred hand, but, at the same time, her eyes flickered back to his Remus's eyes that Kenneth knew someone could lose themselves in. 'We get hungry,' she said about the rabbits. 'Yet I do suppose we do not eat them in the way you would.'

Both men laughed at her comment. Not loud laughter, just mild chuckles. She smiled. Her eyes still locked on Remus's who didn't look as though he minded much.

'I am Antonius,' the handsome blonde haired one spoke first. 'Most call me Antony, as the name is outdated now.' It was like he was begging people to ask how old he was, really. And Kenneth would.

'Edmund,' the other man said who Kenneth now saw looked much younger than he had first guessed. Antonius looked to be about Kenneth's age, perhaps slightly older but not by much and the woman was possibly in her thirties, early thirties or late twenties. 'Edmund,' he repeated looking between Kenneth and Remus. His dark, almost stark black hair fell into his eyes with a casual elegance as he leaned on the fence with ease.

'Maryanne,' the women said with a flutter. Her name came out so fast Kenneth almost needed to ask it again, but then it settled in his mind, and he didn't.

'Remus Lupin.' When Remus spoke Kenneth was sure he heard a snort of laughter. He knew Remus's name was a little ironic.

'Kenneth Webber,' Kenneth said.

There was silence for a few seconds as the vampires nodded and the werewolves awkwardly twisted around on the spot. But it was broken by Antonius – Antony, who moved by the fence and extended his hand to Kenneth who was over the other side.

'We should not all stand out here forever,' he said, and Maryanne nodded.

Kenneth took his hand and stepped over the fence, balancing delicately on the wood before stepping right over next to Antony, who was obviously using this moment to get a good look at Kenneth up close. Kenneth nearly gasped when he touched Antony's hand. It was so cold, colder than the day itself. Antony just looked down at Kenneth and smiled lightly. The vampire was inescapably tall, taller than Kenneth by at least half a head. Fighting the urge to touch the vampire's pale, pale face to see if it was as cold as his hand, Kenneth looked behind to see Remus being sandwiched between Maryanne and Edmund who were speaking to him in low voices.

Readjusting his bag on his shoulder, Kenneth was nudged along by Antony's hand on his shoulder. They walked back through the woods which gave Kenneth a fright as the vampire's skin was so pale and white that it lit up as they all moved through the dark woods. Every time he looked behind him to look for Remus, Antony nudged him on again after he glimpsed the older werewolf whispering happily to Maryanne. The three vampires glowed with a light that did scare Kenneth a little as they wandered through the woods with ease.

'You should not be afraid,' Antony whispered to him shortly. Kenneth looked up, startled by the soft voice.

'Who said I was afraid anyway?' Kenneth asked. 'I'm merely scoping out the situation.'

'You look nervous,' Antony commented.

'You're a bit intimidating,' Kenneth said sourly.

'I am not going to hurt you,' Antony promised, putting a hand on Kenneth's shoulder. 'I would not. The blood in your body is supposed to taste awful anyway. Not all like human blood.'

Kenneth flinched when he said that and nearly stepped away and almost tripping over a tree root in the process. 'You drink human blood regularly?' he asked, knowing his eyes were wide with shock.

'Not so much anymore,' Antony said. 'Not with the invention of the blood replenishing potion, that really was a god send. We can drink that and feel full and satisfied but before that yes, I used to drink human blood.' He looked puzzled for a second before speaking again. 'But surely you, being a werewolf, have little sympathy towards humans.'

It was Kenneth's turn to look puzzled. 'I was only turned a few weeks before Christmas,' he said. 'I live with humans,' he added with a slight snarl. 'I am human every day of the month apart from one night. Of course I have bloody sympathy!'

'You are not human,' Antony said. 'You will never be human again. You are a werewolf and though you might only be made aware of that once a month, surely you use what being one has given you? You must have been able to hear us speaking and moving through the forest before you even saw us properly. No human could do that.'

'Thanks,' murmured Kenneth sharply, crossing his arms and shrugging the vampire's hand off his shoulder, 'for reminding me.'

Antony laughed softly. 'Unusual,' he said. 'But nonetheless I am sure we will get along well. What was it like?' he asked.

'What?'

'Being turned into a werewolf?' Antony asked. 'Did it hurt? Was it pleasant?'

Kenneth glanced across at Antony and shook his head. 'It was awful,' he muttered. 'You have to learn to share your body with the wolf,' Kenneth added. 'And I'm not sure if I've even managed to do that yet.'

Antony nodded somewhat approvingly. 'I have never heard of that before, but it does sound very difficult.'

'Don't you know much about werewolves?' asked Kenneth, surprised. 'I just thought you might.'

'I have lived for a long, long time,' Antony told him seriously. 'I was born in the time of Alexander the Great.' Kenneth's heart jumped with excitement as the vampire said this. 'But I do not know much about werewolves.'

'I don't know much about vampires,' Kenneth said apologetically. He was aware that he was looking at Antony with some kind of longing now. He wanted to know if the vampire had known or even seen Alexander.

'There is time to learn,' Antony said. 'Look,' he murmured with a laugh pointing to Remus and Maryanne behind him. 'Your friend is already learning.' Maryanne was basically draped over Remus as they walked though she was much, much taller than he. She had her fingers through his hair and her lips at his ear. Remus was flushed, his face was deep red.

Kenneth grimaced and turned away. 'Someone should tell her that's probably not a good idea at all,' said Kenneth. 'He just lost his lover only a few weeks ago. I don't think it would really be a good idea for her to be all over him like that.'

Antony shrugged his slender shoulders. 'He will tell her if he is uncomfortable, I am sure.' He smiled at Kenneth, fully, showing off his pointed fangs and pure white teeth, whiter than his skin. Kenneth nearly melted. Here was the beginning of a fetish, he was sure because Antony's teeth looked simply amazing, and Kenneth wanted to run his tongue along the pointed fangs.

Kicking loosely at a stray piece of tree, he looked away from the handsome vampire as the urge to ask more questions came to his lips. Highly inappropriate questions, but ones he'd probably end up asking later. He shifted his bag on his shoulder and looked up from the path before him again. Thankful to see that the patch of woods was nearly coming to end as he could see some faint light sprinkling down through the trees and there was a light at the end of the tunnel effect further ahead. Kenneth couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief.

'So how many of you live in this castle like place?' Kenneth asked, scuffing his shoes through the piles of fallen leaves and still not really wanting to look up at Antony again. He was also fighting the impulse to turn around and throw Maryanne off Remus.

He lost the battle and turned around, looking for them. Maryanne was still practically thrusting her breasts into Remus's face as she stood near him, hovering over him and stroking his cheek. Kenneth snarled at the scene, jealousy rising in him. He was about to turn back, right around and box Maryanne in the face. But Antony's hand touched his before grasping it tightly and pulling Kenneth back.

'Ow!' he yelped. 'Let me go. I swear you'll dislocate my arm!' Kenneth struggled as the vampire pulled him back just by the arm and the searing pain was enough to make Kenneth think that his arm had broken. He tried to kick up at Antony to make him let go but the vampire did before he could.

'Jealous?' asked Antony with a smile of what must be delight.

'No,' said Kenneth sharply crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at Antony, though he did keep his eyes away.

'Yes, you are,' Antony informed him. 'You like him?'

'Yes, ok, fine! I do like him,' said Kenneth. 'A lot.'

'I could make you forget all about him,' Antony mused, lightly reaching out a hand to stroke the soft skin of Kenneth's check.

'Is that all you think about?' asked Kenneth pushing his hand away roughly. 'I mean right away, Maryanne is all over Remus and ... seriously?'

'You two are new here,' said Antony unfazed and stroked Kenneth's check again lightly with the tip of his cold fingers. 'Everyone gets excited over new people, werewolves or not. Some, especially werewolves. You probably will be offered plenty here, but who you take it from will be your choice.'

Kenneth was blushing furiously at this and bowed his head to the ground again, not wanting Antony to see his embarrassment.

The vampire put two fingers under his chin and lifted his eyes to his. 'That is beautiful,' he said, touching Kenneth's blushing cheeks lightly. 'I wish I could blush like that.'

'Why can't you?' Kenneth asked in confusion though his voice breaking lightly from Antony's interest in him. But he supposed he shared the same interest yet a different one. He wasn't afraid of them any longer.

'I have no blood in my body that is why I drink it from others,' he said actually sounding somewhat proud. 'Do you know much about vampires?' he asked. 'Then I will make it my duty to inform you of everything you should know about us. There is not much. It should not take longer than a few minutes unless you want to hear my story as well.'

Kenneth was instantly reminded of the phrase "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" as a need to tell Antony everything that had happened to him swept through him. 'If I can tell you mine,' he said. 'If you don't want to hear I'll probably yell it at you.'

Antony's hand slipped down to his lower back and pushed Kenneth forward, who hadn't even been aware that he'd stopped moving. Kenneth felt his body tense, like an animal ready to bolt, as the vampires hand crawled down further, just to the top of his low hanging jeans before Kenneth regained the decency (his mother had taught him it wasn't polite to do it in public) to shake the man – if you could call him that, off.

'I would like that,' the vampire said with another smile that nearly made Kenneth faint as he saw his fangs again.

The room that Kenneth had been allocated, which Antony led him right to taking what seemed to be a long path through the windy corridors of what really was the second most amazing castle he'd been in, was magnificent. The bedroom had a soft theme of red running through it. The curtains were a light deep shade of red, and Kenneth assumed they would only be pulled during the night. Against another wall there was a bed, comfortable and expensive looking. Kenneth wanted to collapse onto it right then and there. The sheets of the bed were white on top, but he could see some red peeking out from under that.

Across the floor was a soft white rug that complimented the red and the whites of the room. But the way the room was set out wasn't what Kenneth was interested in. He threw a smile over his shoulder to Antonius and stepped forward into the room, making a beeline for the doors and out onto the balcony.

A soft wind pushed against his face, blowing his hair back from his forehead as he put his hands forward against the railing and looked out at the landscape surrounding the castle. He hadn't seen any others on the way to the castle, even Remus and Maryanne had veered off sharply to another wing. But now looking out at the land the castle occupied he could understand why no one was inside. The area was stunning. Soft rolling green hills in the distance and even a river running between them and shying just left of the small patch of woods they had wandered through.

'Why do I get the feeling I've kicked someone out of this room?' Kenneth asked Antony as he looked back through the doors and into the lavish room.

'Because you have,' Antony murmured. 'It is my room. Your room for the time you are here.'

'I can sleep somewhere else,' said Kenneth, though he was eying the bed with a certain relish.

'Do not be so gracious, Kenneth,' Antony said, moving closer to him out on the veranda. 'You will make me want you even more.'

'I haven't even been here for an hour, but you're talking like you know me completely, and you're trying to sleep with me already?' he asked, cocking an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side as he observed the handsome man. 'Over confident?' he said with a grin that probably showed some of his own confidence that only came through when he became comfortable.

'I have been around for a long time,' said Antony wistfully. 'Even though I have all this time at my disposal, all the time in the world, I know I should not waste it.'

'Profound,' muttered Kenneth.

'What do you say to what I have just said other than "profound"?'

'You want me?'

'Yes.'

'I dunno.' Kenneth shrugged. 'It's kind of surprising. People aren't usually so open, and if they are, they're as drunk as Merlin's brother.'

'Everyone, all of us, are rather fond of werewolves. I do not know if the old man mentioned that we were rather eager. I would not be surprised if Maryanne was bedding Remus right now.'

Kenneth stiffened his shoulders rigid. 'Don't talk about it.'

'Interesting,' said Antony more to himself than Kenneth. 'Does he know it?'

'Yeah,' Kenneth said. 'I've told him.'

'Yet he decided to be with another?' Antony frowned. 'What a strange werewolf. You are gorgeous.'

'Not so bad yourself,' Kenneth said. 'Remus is too,' he added fairly.

'But he is growing old,' said the vampire, running his tongue visibly over his teeth. 'You are young, but still growing. It is almost delicious.'

Kenneth flushed, looking away. 'You're stuck in that form forever?'

'Yes.'

'That's not so bad. It could have been much worse. You could have been uglier than sin. That might have been a bit awkward.'

'Lucky, I suppose.'

* * *

Thanks for reading!  
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	17. Spin

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Spin

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes: **Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

**hint I love feed back /hint**

* * *

He hadn't spoken to another Vampire since Antonius had left him in the grand dining hall. The vampire was still milling around a few metres away from him_,_ but Kenneth had been left nearly frozen in place. The hall was full of vampires, the entire castle must be standing here around the chairs and waiting to sit down.

About thirty in total, all beautiful. Well, Kenneth would be surprised if they weren't. Many of them must have had years and years to work on their beauty_,_ however frozen their growth may be. The vampires were all standing around before places at the table, talking softly to each other and looking like they were just gorgeous accessories to complement the room. Maybe the room was just there to set off the vampires' beauty.

The stone floor was cold even through his shoes, but the roaring fire up the front of the hall where he stood wasn't making things better. Silver hangings hung down from the hall with pictures so small embellished on them Kenneth had to concentrate hard to see them. But when he saw them he reeled back a little, disgusted_,_ yet finding it not so. All through the silver silky hangings, sewn in a slightly darker silver thread were images of vampires either biting down on their victims' neck or enticing them away with such consummate skill it sent shivers down the werewolf's spine. He was glad for the difference between vampires and werewolves. He only had the pain of the full moon and society's hatred for him; everything else could be controlled and handled over time and with skill.

The great stone slabs of the floor were able to pull Kenneth's thoughts away from the disturbing images of a different life style shown. The big, long cold room he stood in had one large table running straight through the centre like a dividing wall. The wooden table looked so old it was faultless. Chairs of the same design stood around it and behind them, the vampires stood, whispering in earnest to each other. Not once had one of them glanced up to look at him.

It made him realise with a light start how utterly alone he felt standing up there without Remus. After he'd observed the hall and the vampires when he'd first entered, he'd spent all of his time craning his next and looking for Remus in the crowds. He hated to think this but maybe his crush on Remus had progressed. He didn't really like calling it "a crush" anymore, it sounded a little childish. Maybe he was being to sway precariously on the edge.

When he did fall, if he hadn't already, it would be hard. He wanted to fall. He didn't care if it hurt. It already hurt because there was nothing he could do _to_ make Remus want to be with him.

Suddenly he saw the man moving towards him, Maryanne stopped behind him. Kenneth was sure to send her the darkest glare his eyes possessed. She didn't even look at him. Kenneth's stomach had flipped when he saw Remus moving towards him though.

'Well hello,' he said as Remus stopped and stood next to him. 'Glad to see you haven't succumbed to the dark of heart,' he muttered poetically. 'Although ...' He plucked at the older werewolf's hair, flattening it down as much possible. Remus liked to keep his hair tidy even if Kenneth just let his flow freely.

Remus coughed and watched Kenneth's hand fondle through his hair. 'I wonder what's going to happen,' he said shortly, nodding at the vampires still just standing and talking to each other. 'They might be waiting for us to start speaking. Or maybe all of them aren't here yet.'

'Enjoying yourself?' he asked, pulling his hands away from Remus's hair. 'No go on,' he said when Remus faltered. 'I want to hear what happened with you and the red head.'

'... Maryanne?' asked Remus. When Kenneth nodded vaguely he continued. 'Nothing. She showed me to my room and that was all. Why?' he asked suddenly wary. 'What happened with you and Antonius ... Antony?'

Kenneth was filled with sudden glee and refreshing relief. Unless, of course, Remus was lying. 'I – uh, showed me my room too. He told me not to be surprised if any of the vampires make passes at me, because he did_,_ and I was surprised.'

'Maryanne told me the exact same thing.' Remus nodded. 'She didn't try anything though.'

Kenneth snorted loudly, probably interrupting Remus from continuing. 'Oh, really?' he asked. 'She was right over you, nearly had her hand down your pants, she did!'

'She was not,' retorted Remus, though his voice was still soft. 'I think she might have been suggesting it though,' said Remus. 'I told her no. She said she'd tell anyone who mentioned they might to ... with me.'

'Aw, Remus,' Kenneth murmured. He slung his arm around the werewolf's shoulder and nuzzled his hair with his nose briefly before Remus pushed him away. 'So naive for a grown man.'

'What about you?' asked Remus. 'Did you tell Antony the same thing?'

Kenneth shook his head. 'No,' he muttered. And when Remus looked appalled took the liberty to explain himself. 'I haven't had "any" for a while,' he said in almost a whimpering tone. 'And Antony's lovely, sexy as hell. If no one else is going to offer me any, I'll take some from him, thanks.' He crossed his arms and let out a small pout.

Remus frowned. 'I thought ...'

'I still like you, don't be stupid. But I want some_,_ and I'm not going to demand it from you when you don't even like me in the same way I do. I like you in several ways,' he added as Remus looked a little hurt. 'As friends and probably as pack-mates and then some, ok?'

Remus nodded but said nothing, causing Kenneth to let out a sigh.

'Do you not care that I like you anymore?' asked Kenneth. 'Is it just something you've become accustomed to? Used to having a practically lovesick werewolf limping around behind you?' He snarled to himself and fought the want to move away from Remus and speak to Antonius, flirt with him, in an attempt that would probably be useless.

'Who put you in a foul mood?' asked Remus, snapping roughly. 'Merlin, I know it's close to the full moon_,_ but you really shouldn't be getting so cranky for another couple of days. Tell me the next time you start your monthlies so I know not to come near you.'

Kenneth was shocked at the response from Remus. He knew he was gaping like a helpless fish, his eyes wide at the same time probably providing a very funny expression. He had wanted retaliation or even an answer from Remus. That was why he said things like that to people, he wanted a response.

He shuddered and glared at Remus who pushed past him but stopped, having nowhere to walk to and no one to go to. In this house of vampires they only had each other. Kenneth quickly moved and caught up to him.

'I'm sorry,' he muttered in a tone that suggested he really wasn't. 'Sorry that I can't help what I feel. I'm not like you,' he added gruffly. 'I'm not going to hide it away, feeling sorry for myself that somebody likes me. My liking isn't going to worsen my situation. I couldn't care less that you're a werewolf. So am I! So don't pull any of that crap on me again.' He breathed in deeply through his nose, agitated. 'It's a bloody stupid excuse. You can't protect someone by shoving them away. It just makes them do stupid things to get closer again. You've got no excuses with me, other than that you aren't ready after Sirius. That's fine. That's the only one I'll take.'

'But what if I don't like you?' Remus asked. Pointing out an obvious excuse Kenneth had overlooked in an egotistical way. Remus didn't mean it like he didn't like Kenneth, it was a mere question.

However, Kenneth frowned and bit his lip. 'I suppose,' he drawled, 'that's a fine excuse.'

'But falling in love's easy,' Remus said to him, all anger gone. 'Falling out of love is hard, isn't it?'

The moment Kenneth was about to reply, Antony was at his arm, tugging gently on his sleeve and offering Remus a tight smile.

'Are you ready to speak?' he asked them both. 'We are all ready. Food for the both of you has been prepared. We do not eat. But it is there for you if you want it now. Wine is next to your plates as well.' He smiled. 'Grace suggested I mentioned you should not be off put by what is in our glasses. Pretend it is wine also.'

'So, everyone is here then?' Kenneth asked, choosing not to be disgusted by the blood that would be swirling around in cups near them.

Antony frowned, his prefect face pulling into an ugly mask for a second before returning to its normal glory. 'We were more or less waiting for you to finish your cosy conversation. But all of us are here now, yes. Please,' he said_,_ gesturing to the head of the long table. 'Your seats are at the head of the table, as is custom.'

Kenneth touched Antony's chest as he passed, Remus in front of him heading to their seats, Antony smiled at him as he paused by. 'Later,' he murmured lightly. He flushed when he passed_,_ and Antony laughed lightly at him.

'Looking forward to it,' was the response Kenneth heard as he eased himself into the seat to Remus.

He picked up his wineglass, sloshed the contents about and sniffed for safety. The overwhelming smell of blood wasn't coming from his own wineglass but from the others around him. He nearly flinched as he looked down the table to see all eyes on him and Remus. A few near him took a sip from their wineglasses, reddening their lips and thus making Kenneth wrench back in the mild disgust that this brought to his throat.

'Aren't you going to say anything?' Kenneth asked Remus in a whisper. All eyes were on them, even the enchanting eyes of Antonius were beginning to make him feel on edge.

'Why don't you?' said Remus, shrugging his shoulders and picking up his wineglass with a sour look. He_,_ too_,_ sniffed before drinking.

'I'm no public speaker,' Kenneth said definitely. 'If you want me to play around with them rather than inform, I can do that. Gladly,' he added smugly as Remus scowled at him.

'Fine,' Remus murmured lightly. 'I will speak to them. But you have to back me up on what I say.'

'If they wanted a separate side or a different story then they wouldn't have asked members of the Order of the Phoenix, would they?'

Remus shrugged and turned a little to his side to face Kenneth_,_ but before he could speak again, he was interrupted by the words of a vampire.

A young one, no older than eighteen stood, his face flecked with glee. 'Speak,' he said urgently. 'I do not wish to sit here all night listening to two werewolves arguing over who will address us. You bicker like my mother and father!'

'Sit down, Adrian!' Edmund yelled, standing from down near the back and glaring so strongly at the young vampire that it could only be the anguished stare of a lover. He whispered some words to the young vampire who was all the while glaring at the other young man, who looked immensely proud of himself.

Kenneth sighed and leaned back in the chair, his hair falling forward into his deep brown eyes, he had half a mind to kick his feet up against the table top but instead he sipped at his wine and waited.

'Forgive the fledglings,' a female said softly gazing up the table at them. She waved a hand out in front of herself. 'Please begin,' she said.

'Wait,' another female said standing from her chair. This one wasn't liked much. He could tell by the stiffness he could feel running through the air. 'I would like to tell you of our stories before you begin what you have to stay to all _of_ us.' There were several groans and a stifled laugh.

It didn't seem to be an option_,_ and the women started to speak. Soon he began to find it fascinating and intrigued.

She spoke mostly of herself. Her own stories during the first way. Her name was Valderdaine_,_ and she'd been heavily involved with the first war and the rise of You-Know-Who. She had been a bit of a lone ranger, not having a side to return to and she'd been captured by the Ministry just before the birth of Harry Potter, for some reason she referred to the date as that. The Birth of the One Who Lived. As she'd been caught and was a vampire, those with her, vampire or not were presumed corrupted and all sent to Azkaban.

The ones who were not vampires were kept there for the rest of their lives, and she was sentenced to be killed and the other vampire, though she did not mention her name. Valderdaine escaped, alone only to be captured weeks later despite all the skill and stealth that vampires possessed and the one werewolf.

She had been sent into exile as when she had managed to escape Azkaban no one was able to locate the Dark Lord, as she called him with some amount of fondness. Being sentenced to exile, along with the other vampires the Ministry knew of did not sit well with any of them. But it was better than what happened to the vampires that were proven to be on You-Know-Who's side.

They had been tied to trees to wait out the night for the morning sunshine that would burn them to cinders. Or they were simply burnt at the stake or stabbed through the heart with a wand containing the hair of a vampire.

But they found it simple to live away from the "normal" population. They didn't cause panics any longer and though it seemed that Valderdaine did harbour some resentment for werewolves being able to live in amongst the people, she understood – guiding off their experiences – what it would be like to live out of exile with normal witches and wizards. But this time, during this new looming war, the vampires wanted it to be known that they were good.

Those things had changed since the last time the world had heard of them. Kenneth admired that somewhat_,_ but he didn't understand why they didn't just do it rather than have to talk about it beforehand.

Remus was nodding pleasantly when he found it was his turn to speak. 'I don't really know what you'd all like me to say after that,' he murmured lightly. 'But, uh, Voldemort is back.'

Kenneth shuddered, grinding his teeth together at the mention of the name.

'There isn't much the Order know about what can be done to stop him from coming as he's come back with power. Many of the former Death Eaters have run back into his arms and the ones that haven't ... he's either forced it upon them or killed them for deserting him. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that the Minister for Magic –'

'Stupid fool,' muttered Kenneth sourly. He gained a few laughs for that.

'Actually learnt of this. Before then he'd assumed it was just something that Dumbledore and Harry Potter had made up after the disaster at the Triwizard Tournament.'

'What happened?' cooed Maryanne.

'The cup was a Portkey,' explained Remus. 'A spy within the school had planted it, Barty Crouch Jr. But Voldemort meant to kill Harry Potter that evening_,_ and he needed his blood to bring himself back to full power.' None of the vampires seemed to find this puzzling as Kenneth did. 'He killed an innocent boy, Cedric Diggory instead. And used Harry to regain form and power. The Minister and most of the Wizarding world refused to believe Harry's tale.'

Just a few weeks ago, there was a battle at the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry,' Remus continued. 'Voldemort got into the department to gain access to Harry who'd come there via images Voldemort had put in his mind using the link between them. Voldemort wanted the prophecy that stated Harry would have to defeat him in battle. One of them has to live and the other must die. There was a huge battle and I think Fudge must have seen him or been told of his whereabouts in the Ministry because he now believes and knows he is back.'

'Stupid fool,' whispered a vampire. 'He'll crack soon. He doesn't have what it takes. Get someone better in there, someone noble. Someone who actually cares.'

'So what is happening now?' Maryanne asked again, her face was curved up into an expression of confusion and repulsion.

'Voldemort is trying to recruit.'

'Mm, yes,' Antony said. 'Our cousins,' it took Kenneth a few seconds to realise he was talking of vampires not actual relatives, 'have all had his slaves knocking on doors and barricades asking for sign-ups.'

'He's promising better life,' Kenneth said. 'At least, he's promised a better life for werewolves under his reign. But who knows what the hell that would be like.'

'Like ... hell?' Antony suggested, smiling suggestively up the table at him. Kenneth saw that Antony had flushed cheeks_,_ too. He must have drunk his fill for the evening.

'It's working for some,' said Remus. 'Plenty of werewolves had joined up with him. Most under the guidance of Greyback.'

'What about the vampires?' another asked. 'What do you know about them? How many of them have signed on with Voldemort?'

Remus rolled his shoulders in a shrug. 'I don't know,' he said honestly. 'It's hard to say. Werewolves receive so much more attention from him because we haven't been exiled. And there are still plenty of us living in the community. As if we can control the wolf we only need to be separated from people once a month.'

There was a sigh from Antony, and like Kenneth was becoming attuned to it, he picked it up perfectly and clearly. 'So he is, but you do not know that he is? I know he is,' Antony said, touching a hand of his own chest and elegant suit. 'The others have spoken of it, saying they have been visited by cloaked men who refused to show their faces but had a mouth for public speaking ... and,' he stopped to grin wirily, 'necks they would all like to suck.'

Small amounts of laughter erupted around the table_,_ and Kenneth even had to grin lightly as the way Antony had said it had been priceless.

'But,' he continued seriously, holding a hand up, 'these men, Death Eaters as they would have been, did not press the matters. Charles said it was almost as if they were scared of them.'

'That's why Dumbledore didn't come,' Kenneth said, louder than he'd meant to. When Remus looked at him slightly shocked he added, 'oh don't tell me you didn't notice? It was obvious he didn't want to come! That's why he sent us instead.'

'Really?' Maryanne asked. 'I thought he was just pleased that he had others do this for him as he was busy.' She opened her mouth and let out a huge disgruntled sigh, her teeth glinting from the light of the candles. 'Hah,' she murmured lightly. 'I daresay we got the better pick of the Order members though.'

After much more light conversation, a series of rude remarks about You-Know-Who and some serious talking why the vampires should join the Order, Kenneth and Remus were the last to leave the hall. They had taken their time eating slowly as it was strange to have eyes looking on them in longing as they ate normally, normal foods the vampires couldn't eat as nothing happened to it inside them_,_ and they had to throw it back up. Though Remus hadn't asked for it, he'd been given a full description of how it worked from the young eighteen year old. It had been disgusting but good entertainment to watch Remus squirm and try to down his own food after hearing the youngster had to say.

When they finally made their way out of the hall, Remus veered off one way bidding him a brief goodnight. Antony was waiting from him around the corner as he tried to navigate his way back to his room.

'Oh, hello,' Kenneth said in surprise.

'You said later,' said Antony. 'I hope you are not taking it back.'

'No. Later,' Kenneth said again. 'I haven't left you without a room, have I?' he asked.

Antony shrugged. 'You have not,' he said, 'there are spare rooms. Just none as elegant as mine.'

'I can take the spare room,' Kenneth said. 'You can have your room back. I can sleep in a spare room.'

'No, it is fine,' Antony said lightly and then stepped closer and put his fingers against Kenneth's neck and moved them down to his collar bone lightly. 'Promise me something.'

'What?'

'When you wake up in the morning, early,' Antony said with ease. 'Go for a walk in the sunrise. Come back and tell me what it was like. You must tell me.'

* * *

'Be more precise,' Antony said in an almost pleading voice.

'What more can I tell you?' Kenneth groaned, flopping back on the couch behind him in the spare room, possibly more luxurious than Kenneth's room.

The room was pitch black as the sun still hadn't finished rising, it was deadly to all vampires.

'Tell me how beautiful it was,' Antony's voice emitted from the bed sheets. Kenneth could vaguely see his pale glow from the layers of the bed.

'It wasn't really,' Kenneth muttered. 'A little disappointing actually. It looked like it was going to rise in all its glory, but it was kind of a dud today.'

Antonius sighed sleepily and yawned loudly. 'Was it really?' he asked. 'Any sunrise would have been beautiful.'

'If you've lived for so long and want to see the sun, why don't you do that as your final act?' asked Kenneth thinking it sounded rather heroic and story like.

'I do not want to die,' said Antony. 'Come here,' he murmured to Kenneth, who heard the rustle of sheets as more of a welcome then the words. 'Let us talk about the different of werewolves and vampires.'

'But I already know the difference.'

Antony laughed, light and lingering. 'No, you do not, cub. You definitely do not.'

Grimacing at being called this, Kenneth moved from the couch and clambered across the end of the bed, kicking his shoes off clumsily as he went. He was greeted by the prefect sight of Antony's clear and unscathed chest, faintly pale. As he was flushing pink, Antony pulled him into the bed, almost letting the werewolf rest his head on the sculptured chest.

'What would you say the main difference between werewolves and vampires it?'

'Uh, you lot can live forever.' It came out as more of a question than a statement or an answer.

'Mm ... I suppose,' Antony murmured. 'But as much as we are referred to as immortal, we can be killed. Did you know that the Ministry classes vampires as beasts?'

'No,' Kenneth said a little alarmed. 'I didn't know that. Shouldn't you be classed like werewolves?'

'And forever be shunned between departments?' Antony said with a soft laugh that Kenneth felt tickle his ear. 'Werewolves have little place in the Ministry. Your rights simply kept being stripped as you get moved, cub.'

'So, you know where you are with the Ministry,' he said glumly. 'In exile, fun! Though it would let you be able to throw some intense parties without bothering any neighbours.'

'You have such a positive outlook.'

'Not really,' Kenneth said. 'I can't decide whether I hate or love life now.'

'What happened to change your mind?'

Kenneth grimaced. 'Huh,' he sniffed. 'Being a werewolf obviously, losing my family because of that. They want nothing to do with me now. I used to be very desirable,' he murmured. 'Now the only person who wants me is Lucius Malfoy.'

Kenneth felt cold fingers running through his hair and down his collar bone. 'He was very good taste, Lucius Malfoy.' Kenneth snorted in indignation.

'Yet he is not the only person who wants you,' the vampire moaned into his ear lightly. 'I want you. You are gorgeous and fierce. I like you. I am sure Remus wants you too.'

'Vampires sound a lot more desirable then werewolves,' Kenneth said, croakily. 'You lot are perfect looking.'

'Well,' Antony said, shifting lightly in the bed so he was rather close to Kenneth. 'I always thought werewolves were shaggy, hairy beasts. Because the ones I had met before you and the other all were like that.'

'How do you so stay so perfect?' asked Kenneth in awe, hardly hearing Antony's comment. His fingers had trailed down to Antonius's chest. His fingertips were drawing a faint line down to the waistband of the vampire's pants, gently stroking the slither of hair that led to a treasure.

'Mm,' the vampire moaned, stilling Kenneth's hand with an icy tough. 'So you want it too, cub?'

Kenneth said nothing, but dipped his head down to Antony's navel and chest, kissing him lighting and drawing a gasping breath from the vampire's throat.

'Not now,' Antony said softly.

'What?' Kenneth asked disgruntled. 'Why not now?'

'I have not fed yet,' he said, 'I do not want to disappoint you.'

Kenneth was confused for a second, blinking. He was unable to figure what the vampire was saying. 'Oh,' he said with a snigger. 'Ah, right! You can't get it up without feeding!' Kenneth fell back against the pillows with a giggle and a light snort.

'As embarrassing as that is, yes, it is true.'

Kenneth laughed again but stopped in an instant when Antony toughed his cheek. 'That must be awkward,' he murmured. 'Has there ever been a time when ...?'

'Yes,' the vampire said. 'Right now.' Antony twisted over so nearly all of his cold body was over Kenneth's warm one. 'It is very unfortunate. I would have had you right now if I could.'

With a shudder of delight and a tickle of butterflies in his stomach, Kenneth turned his head to look at Antony and nodded. 'Ok,' he said softly. He was aware of an increase in his breathing. He was nearing on panting as he looked at the vampire eagerly.

'Is that it?' asked the thousand years old vampire. 'All you have to say for it?'

Kenneth's hand had been halfway towards Antony's thigh under the sheets even before Antony finished speaking. As the vampire stopped, his hand rested gently on the stone cold thigh. But before another word could be said, he felt himself being shifted on the bed with remarkable speed. Gaping in mild shock, he looked up at Antonius whose blonde hair was dripping into Kenneth's forehead as he lay smugly over him. Kenneth nearly arched up in need, executing a soft moan, as Antony's hips ground against his.

'How did you do that?' he asked numbly and flinching with a small amount of embarrassment as he felt the arousal grow in him.

He found the ability to talk as a surprise. He was certain that with the body above him, broad shoulder, hard stomach decorated with a thin line of hair, narrow hips and deliciously long legs – much like his

own, that he would have lost the aptitude to speak. He looked for a hint of scar on the vampire. There was none. There would be scars littered across Remus and probably himself soon.

The prick of desire to take control that he'd felt poke its way into his mind as he took in all that was Antonius, didn't become apparent to him until seconds later. He wasn't one to want control in the bedroom, despite how many may think that. The bedroom really was the only place he loved someone to have dominance and control over him. And he loved it. But the spark he'd had to suddenly turn the tides and push Antony under him was a little shocking for him.

The wolf, maybe. It was close to the full moon. Less than a week. It was possible that the wolf was coming through strongly and demanding dominance that was only fitting for such a creature. He'd never felt this before a full moon, maybe as the option had never come up. But he wanted to hold, to thrust, to keep, even to own, to devour and to ravish the creature above him. He left his thoughts at that, with a note to return to him, as Antony had begun speaking in his alluring drawl.

'Speed,' Antony whispered. 'Where werewolves are strong, vampires are fast.' He thrust forward, grabbing hold of Kenneth's wrists and holding them above his head, imitating the actions of passionate sex. 'We make up for ... Oh; I suppose it be called a lack of strength by our speed.'

A strangled moan later and Kenneth was ready to answer. 'What else?' he asked.

Antony stilled. 'Where werewolves are warm,' he said and stroked Kenneth's checks with his freezing fingers that he was having difficulty adjusting to, 'your kind is always so warm, hot. Where you are warm, vampires are cold. Deadly cold.' He dipped his pelvis low and dragged it over Kenneth's growing erection, smiling and teasing, as he did.

'Really?' Kenneth asked letting out a gasp. '_Hah_, what else?'

'Are you struggling?' asked Antony blandly, stopping completely so that Kenneth let out a groan at the sensation now gone. 'Oh,' he said when Kenneth shot him a confused look still trying to grind up against the vampire. 'You look to be paining yourself. Not this I hope,' he reached between their bodies and found Kenneth's erection with ease, squeezing.

'Ah, no!' Kenneth cried out, finally feeling the hand that would signal the release he needed so desperately. If only that hand hadn't moved the second Kenneth had made noise.

'Kenneth?'

That voice wasn't Antony's. It was faint and drawn, lingering outside the door for a brief second. Kenneth hadn't even heard the footsteps that announced the speaker's arrival. But the voice startled him nonetheless. It was accompanied by the smell of chocolate. There was a short knock at the door.

'Oh, shit,' Kenneth growled. 'It's Remus!' He made a move to roll Antonius off him, but the vampire held his hands above his head fast, not letting him go.

'What is the problem with that?' Antony asked in a hushed voice.

'All sorts of things,' Kenneth muttered foully, squirming trying to get away from out of Antony's grasp as Remus knocked on the door. While they had only just been talking off how werewolves were so much stronger than vampires, Kenneth didn't want to throw Antony off him in a way that would hurt. 'Let go of me,' he said gruffly.

'How much in love with him are you?' Antony asked lightly, leaning down against Kenneth and whispering that in his ear. Antony had probably grasped the fact that Kenneth didn't want to push him off at all.

'I'm not,' Kenneth quipped scathingly. 'Now, get off before he comes in and sees.'

'Oh, look,' said Antony with a laugh. 'You are worried about him seeing you with me. You're obviously nervous about him getting the wrong idea. This is strange, Kenneth. You want me, it is very clear. But then you are nervous about him seeing.'

Kenneth pushed up against Antony gently and to his surprise, the vampire gave way and slipped away from him. Antonius slipped his body off the bed, his cold moving away from Kenneth who missed the feeling of pressure above him. It was a chance lost.

He was tad confused. There was Antony above him, whom he wanted to take control of and dominate but didn't understand where that was coming from. Then there was Remus outside the door, and he was sure that he felt something huge for that man. If those large feelings hadn't arrived yet they would be coming soon. He wanted both of them but for different reasons.

'I am going to feed,' Antony said to him. 'I do not know when I will be back. Do you still want me to find you when I have finished?'

Kenneth cringed as he heard Remus' voice again but he nodded to Antony. 'Yeah,' he said.

'Good,' Antony purred. 'Now you should go to your ... lover,' he said the word with almost a snigger, teasing Kenneth. 'You should tell him of your feelings, I think. And then later on, we can have our fun.'

Lying still in the bed, his heart hammering slightly from the heat of the touching seconds before, and hearing Remus's voice outside the door, he watched as Antony picked his way across the room, grabbing pieces of his clothing as he went. It didn't take long before he was dressed in his normal splendour and he was at the door.

Remus could be heard again when Antony smiled at Kenneth and stepped out into the corridor. 'Yes,' Antony said, elegantly and proudly. 'He is in my room.'

'This is urgent,' Remus was saying and indeed he did sound worried, flustered and urgent all at the same time.

'By all means,' Antony said politely and must have stepped aside because a mere second later Remus was in the room and Kenneth was trying desperately to get out of the sheets he now found himself tangled in.

'Kenneth?' Remus asked, his eyes shut like he thought the other may be in his skins. He spoke awkwardly; his voice quavering.

'Open your eyes,' Kenneth said quickly. 'I'm not prancing around naked.'

'Oh,' Remus said, prickling light pink. 'Uh, Dumbledore wants a report from us.'

'Can't the old man be patient and wait until we get back?' asked Kenneth with a slight growl as all he really wanted to do right now was curl up in the sheets of the bed Antonius had slept in that night and think through his thoughts. He'd have to sift through them, like flour.

'He'd like it now.'

'Well, nothing much as happened has it?' Kenneth asked, a little snappy though he was sure the look in his eyes was one of confusion and perhaps pain. The wolf had managed to frighten him again by wanting something he'd never been the one to demand or really ever want.

'You're still in a foul mood?' Remus asked crossing his arms over his chest with a scowl. 'I thought that was over! If you aren't going to wizen up and probably grow up, I'll report by myself. Even though if anyone knows these vampires, it's you. In more than one way,' he added with a glare at Kenneth.

Kenneth nearly tripped over his own feet at that. 'I thought you weren't angry with me anymore! Merlin, Remus, if anyone's moody it's you!'

'We are supposed to be here on a mission!' Remus snapped suddenly. 'And for some reason you haven't done what you're supposed to be doing! We are supposed to be telling these vampires about the war and instead you're spending most of your time in one's bed!'

Kenneth grabbed Remus's shoulders, suddenly and impulsively. 'We've done that! We've talked to them!' he murmured strongly. 'You did it last night and come on! How long was this supposed to take anyway? For it to take as long as the time Dumbledore suggested we stay here one of us would have had to have talked real slow!'

'This is so stupid!' Remus yelled and brandishing his fist in a way that caused Kenneth to step back in shock. He had thought he was going to hit him. 'Why are you being such a prat? I would have expected something like from Sirius, maybe! But not you!'

And then he did hit him.

Sharp and hard across the face. The sheer strength of it sent Kenneth to the floor, collapsing on his knees. It took him a long time to gather thoughts to his mind, like the punch to his cheek bone and eye had flung all the thoughts from his head. He shook his head as he tried to stagger to his feet but ended up back where he'd been struck. On the floor, touching the side of his face, he could almost swear that blood was coming from his face like the wound was open.

'Oh, Merlin,' moaned Remus.

There was movement beside him and it took a second for Kenneth to realise that the werewolf had knelt down beside and was fervently touching the side of his face where he had struck him. Kenneth shrugged him off lamely, hardly having to use any force with him. The older werewolf just peeled off, his fingers moving away from his face.

'Someone's pissy today!' Kenneth retorted, fumbling around the floor for his wand in the most undignified way possible. 'What is this about really?' he asked softly, remaining on the floor, still searching.

Something, not just Kenneth's nasty mood, was putting Remus off, away from his normal sweetness and kindness. For a werewolf who'd just been told the night before that he had someone who liked – loved? – him dearly, his mood couldn't be worse. Kenneth pushed his bangs back that were falling into his eyes and looked up at Remus.

The werewolf looked just as pained as Kenneth was. He looked like he was torn between fleeing the room, helping Kenneth and just spurting everything out. Was he as confused as Kenneth had been moments earlier? It was really crashing down around him, softly – the real thunder hadn't started yet. He could feel that. But there was something about this (his confusion about the other wolfish needs, his growing feelings for Remus and just everything, now Remus had hit him) that signalled impending ... what?

Kenneth suddenly thought of werewolf ways. Pack-mates. He, himself, would feel intensely jealous if someone was moving in on Remus not just because he adored the man but because there was loyalty between them. They were part of a two wolf pack. They had agreed on it themselves when they started feeling a little uneasy about being away from each other for too long.

Remus hadn't responded to his question and when Kenneth looked at him again, he was studying his hand like he couldn't believe it had done what it had.

'What is it?' asked Kenneth again.

Remus threw his hands down with sigh that was mixed with a snarl. 'I don't know!' he grimaced. 'I – I wished you hadn't told me that you still liked me. As many times as you told me it wasn't going to go away, I wish it did! Sirius ...' he said with a frown and a hiccup randomly escaped his throat. 'Do you know what is worse?' he asked shakily.

The werewolf shook his head, letting a tiny 'no' come from his lips.

'What's worse is that I like you some too! But everything has changed now. When I was with Sirius it was easy to shrug it off because I loved him. He's not here anymore_**,**_ and you're becoming way too much to handle!'

Kenneth scowled. Wasn't love the path to all destruction? He crossed his arms as he sat on the floor, his face still smarting terribly. 'What do you want me to do?' he asked. 'Just walk away? Because I have told you so many times that I can't do that! I'll never be able to do that.'

'I'm not saying you should do that!' Remus said, his voice erupting. 'We've talked about this so much.'

He was crouching down beside Kenneth now. Much to Kenneth's surprise as he hadn't even seen or heard the man moving towards him, his senses must be a little clogged from all that was whizzing around in his mind.

'You,' murmured Remus, 'are confusing me so much.'

'Well, I'm sorry! I can't do anything about that right now.' All at once it had seemed that he'd been burden with all this confusion, Remus too. 'I can't do anything. I don't know what to do. Merlin, I need some of that Wolfsbane.'

Remus looked nervous for a second and his hand flittered gently out to touch Kenneth's face. 'Why?' he asked. 'You've never taken any before, you haven't needed it. Why now? Why for this one?'

'I don't know. It feels different.'

'Did you bring some with you? You can take some of mine if you want. I've got plenty.'

'No, it's ok. I brought some. The ones St. Mungo's gave me.'

'Don't take it now,' Remus advised him. 'You're supposed to take a few hours before the full moon rises.'

'Ok,' Kenneth said. 'Touched by your concern as well,' he added with a soft smile. He hopped that would suffice as an apology for Remus. But if the man needed more than that, he would gladly give it. It seemed like they had apologised.

There was silence for a mere second as Remus stroked Kenneth's swollen, bruised cheek. 'I didn't mean to hit you,' he said in a scarce voice. 'I really didn't.'

'I know.'

'I just -'

'Don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt. If it did, I'd be making a much bigger deal about it. It's fine ... really.'

'I am sorry,' Remus insisted.

Strangely, Kenneth wasn't even sure if he had thought about it beforehand, he was kissing Remus. He hesitated before pushing his lips tenderly against the other werewolf's. There was slight recoil on Remus's part but Kenneth had his fingers curled up around the front of his shirt, holding him in place. It wasn't long before he felt Remus's lips move against his. It was short and he was the one to pull back, leaving Remus looking shocked but not uncomfortable.

Kenneth felt dumbstruck when Remus stared at him. The beautiful face contorting into expressions of gorgeous shock, and dazzling confusion. Oh, what had Kenneth got himself into? Falling in love with an outrageously handsome man, how would he keep his hands off him until Remus was ready?

'I love you,' Kenneth said softly, into Remus's ear. 'No, shh ... don't say anything. It's hard for you, I know. So you don't have to say anything. I thought you ought to know.'

* * *

Thanks for reading!  
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	18. My Best Fiend

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title: My Best Fiend**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes:** Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

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* * *

'You told him you love him?' asked Antony, smiling with surprise. Though Kenneth did have to admit the smile looked a little forced. 'What did he say to that?'

'Nothing,' Kenneth said dismally.

Remus had simply let out a groan when Kenneth had told him. What that groan signaled, Kenneth couldn't tell. It was as if the werewolf had closed off completely and resigned to hearing it again. Kenneth had wanted to tell him over and over. He had then patted Kenneth awkwardly on the knee before excusing himself.

It was common knowledge to him that Kenneth liked him. Yet Kenneth had never told him he _loved _him_. _It was certainly a different area all together for Remus. It had almost just flown out of his mouth without control, like many things did. When he thought about it though, there was nothing in him to suggest that he didn't love the older werewolf. He'd hardly thought about it before saying it. It seemed he'd subconsciously known for a long time that he'd liked Remus but had only mentioned it today. His feelings for Remus were progressing.

'It was kind of common knowledge that I liked him anyway, he knew. I just decided to tell him that I loved him this morning. I don't think I even really thought about it much,' Kenneth said with a shrug.

'But you do love him?' Antonius asked.

He held out a hand to stop Kenneth on their lazy walk through the castle along the plush, in some places, well trodden, deep red carpets. The stone walls around these thin corridors that led off to a magnitude of rooms flickered with a gentle orange glow from the torches held in iron grips. That same orangey light touched across Antony's face as he stood in front of it and looked down at Kenneth, using his height and skin tone to look much more imposing than he really was.

'This is going to ruin my chances**_,_** to,' the vampire paused with a frown, 'how do you say it now? ... Get in your pants?'

Kenneth grinned and chuckled, leaning into Antonius somewhat. Antony keenly took him in and draped an arm over his shoulder, pulling him close. 'I reckon so. As much as I do like you, before I think I was just so desperately horny, but it isn't fair to Remus,' Kenneth murmured up to him. 'What did you use to say if you didn't say that?'

'Under the folds of your toga.'

Kenneth spluttered, trying to keep himself from laughing outright, but was unable to do so and ended up nearly folding over into a bout of laughter.

'Like my name,' Antony murmured lightly to Kenneth, smiling as he laughed, 'that phrase is now outdated. And I only ever used it when I was really, very drunk. It was more of a joke than anything. Same as now,' he added as an afterthought before pushing Kenneth forward gently into a walk. Kenneth had recovered enough from his laughter to nestle his head into the crook of Antony's neck.

'Did it work?' asked Kenneth eagerly interested.

'Would it work with you?' he said. The breath was tickling the side of Kenneth's face.

'Probably not, no,' Kenneth assured him. 'For that to work I'd have to be off my face.'

'See?' Antony said. 'I can only recall it ever working once. But back to what we really should be talking about ... are you in love with him or did it come out only because you think you are in love with him?'

'You only want to know because "you want to get in my pants",' Kenneth said, using quotations marks where needed. 'Selfish?' he said cheekily, bumping Antony a little with his leg. He tipped his head away from Antony's cold neck to look at the vampire as he spoke.

'Very true,' he murmured. 'It is a trait that is not my best, I have to admit. I am selfish but through that I am determined. Some, like you, are determined in other ways. It is not so much being selfish but being determined is sometimes the same.'

'Doesn't it depend on what you are determined to get or do?'

'Yes, cub,' said Antony. 'You are determined in a way that does not make you as selfish as I am. You are determined and you wait for what you want if you know it is going to come to you eventually.'

'You know that that last part doesn't make me sound very good. Makes me sound self content or up myself.'

Antony winced. 'You are just a little, you do know that?' he asked. 'Just a little. It is not horrible or anything. Just a little bit, cub. But you have every right as far as am I am concerned.'

'Mm, and why is that?'

'Because you are beautiful.'

'You're going to make me blush,' Kenneth said with a fake sigh.

Antony frowned and shook his head. 'Tut, tut,' he murmured. 'None of that now, pretty. You have just told someone you love them ... to me that is as good as being married.'

'Well aren't you bloody noble.'

'If you told him you love him, you must,' said Antony. It was more of a puzzled statement than a question of any kind.

'Yeah, I do. Or at least I think I do. And if I don't now, I will later.'

'I see. So everything will work itself out somehow.'

'Of course,' Kenneth said. 'Why wouldn't it work itself out?'

'Things only work out on their own if you have many years to wait. If you do nothing about it, nothing will happen.'

'Lucky for you, you can live forever,' Kenneth snorted indignantly. 'Easy for you, right? But you know, for me, it's different. I know I like him _so _much, and I will end up loving him, that's somewhat inevitable. This is seriously like some cruel twisted love story and you're looking like the side character coming in to sweep me away from the man I love. This is fantastic,' Kenneth said with a broad smile. 'I've always wanted to be the damsel in distress.'

'Well,' Antony said stiffly, taking no regard for Kenneth's joking tone. 'Firstly, I do not intend to do much with you if you are in love with someone, or progressing to that stage. You still sound rather confused to me, cub. And secondly, you are not a woman and therefore cannot be a damsel. I apologize.'

'No, it's ok. I'm not deluded or anything.' Kenneth bit his bottom lip and turned to look right into Antony's pale blue eyes. 'If you're so selfish, why aren't you still keen on this? I'm kind of slipping you an opportunity**_,_** but you aren't taking it, no matter how selfish you claim to be.'

'Because it is not fair on Remus – you said so yourself, stop being a tease - if you tell him you love him and then sleep with me. Besides, I have not had the time to feed yet anyway.' Antony stopped suddenly, causing Kenneth to stop with him. He pressed his lips to Kenneth's forehead, having to dip his head down to reach. 'Why do you not just give you and Remus some time, cub? It is obvious the last couple of days since you got here you have had some trouble with each other. You have argued. Some lover's spat, maybe?'

'Huh, I wish. Like you said,' he commented, tapping his hand against Antony's chest, 'time.'

'Quick to take advice?'

'My own advice is fairly rubbish even though I try and dish it out a lot. It doesn't really work for many people.'

They rounded the corner with lazy ease, Antony's hand sitting fairly protectively on Kenneth's waist, despite the conversation they had had mere minutes ago about Remus and Kenneth's actions. Regardless of the castles vastness for the amount of vampires that actually lived there, the inside was surprisingly boring. Kenneth would have thought there would be an interior design freak amongst them that would have decked out the hallways through which they walked now. But the rooms of importance were spectacular like the dining room, though Kenneth couldn't pinpoint the importance of such a room when vampires never ate food and only drank blood.

The corridor that they were walking along, though being rather boring and dull seemed to go nowhere and only branched out into a wide enclosed area. The curtains pulled to the side were made of a beautiful silken fabric, deep cream in colour. It contrasted with the colour of the carpet but looked incredible notwithstanding this.

It took Kenneth several seconds to notice Valderdaine standing beside the curtains and peering down at the land which the windows overlooked. He hadn't noticed her as she was wearing a fabric dress that looked very similar to the curtains (if there was anything about vampires that allured Kenneth towards them was their flair for wearing outdated fashions from their own times, such as long flowing petite dresses and elegant suits that had tailcoats). She had all but blended in entirely.

Kenneth had been caught with the view out the gently frosted windows before he had even noticed her. Her hair was falling over her face and concealing her slightly darker complexion than Antony's. Valderdaine must have been much darker before she was turned. Just as Kenneth noticed her puzzled expression though, he could smell blood on the air.

'I can smell blood,' he said with a whisper to Antony beside, who, too, had stopped to either look at Valderdaine's eccentric looks.

'She has just fed,' Antony replied with an equally soft whisper. Surprisingly, Valderdaine heard neither of them.

'Oh,' Kenneth said, feeling Antony's cold body pressing into him from behind. He tugged on the vampire's hand, hoping to go onwards to get the tangy, bitter smell out of his senses.

'How are you?' Antony instead asked the other vampire who hadn't yet noticed their presence.

'Come here and look at this,' she said, barely looking up from where she stood slumped against the curtain and window frame.

Antony moved towards her, leaving Kenneth in the centre of the corridor alone. As he left, Kenneth felt substantially warmer.

'Down there,' Valderdaine said pointing a gloved finger and tapping lightly against the glass.

'What are they doing?' Antony asked with a light chuckle. 'Kenneth!' he called over his shoulder. 'Come see this, cub.'

Kenneth obliged, moving forward from his frozen place. He was hit by another cold wave of air radiating from the vampires as he moved forward into their circle.

'Just there,' Valderdaine said. 'Under the balcony, nearly at the door. You can see them out the corner of the window.' Kenneth craned his neck, having to lean right over Valderdaine to see out the window, she even sighed a little. 'Ooh, so warm,' she purred. 'Werewolves make the most fabulous lovers.'

'Mm ... that was what I was hoping for,' murmured Antony, cuffing Kenneth around the head very gently. 'But this one has fallen for the other werewolf. Or will be falling soon ... apparently,' Antony added making a joke about Kenneth's vagueness over most of the matter.

'Oh, really?' Valderdaine asked, generally interested. 'I loved a werewolf once.'

'Please,' Antony said rather sharply. 'We do not have time for stories now, Valder.'

Kenneth, blushing a little, finally stared out the window. He gaped silently to himself as he saw six hooded figures like the ones from his stay in Diagon Alley and the battle at the Ministry. They were all progressing towards the grand entrance way of the castle. All wore hoods, apart from one whose crop of messy hair looked like a bird nest from above.

He knew them in a heartbeat. They were Death Eaters, the lot of them. The thought alone didn't make him feel uneasy. There was no reason for him to be nervous about this. The numbers pointed in their advantage. If the vampires told them to leave**_,_** there would be no trouble. And if they acted up for whatever reason they had come, all of the vampires presumably had wands**_,_** and Kenneth and Remus had brute strength if it was required.

Kenneth leaned further over, pressing right against Valderdaine who squeezed his shoulder. 'What are they wearing around their necks?' he asked. He gestured towards the yellowish strings they were all wearing loosely around their shoulders.

'I'm not sure,' Valderdaine said. 'Can you smell it?' she asked him.

'I can try.' Kenneth concentrated his senses on finding the Death Eaters down below them. Through the whiff of fancy perfume, he caught the smell of garlic deep and overwhelming. He quickly turned away from the smell, tapping out of it. 'Garlic,' he said. 'It smells like garlic.'

Antony and Valderdaine both laughed. Antony deeply, in an almost side splitting way. And Valderdaine snorted to herself in the most ungraceful manor that completely ruined the odd beauty of her appearance.

'What unbelievable stupidity,' she said. 'I remember I always thought vampires were allergic to garlic. When I was turned I found that completely false. I actually like garlic.'

'They think they can protect themselves against us,' the male vampire said with another laugh. 'You are right, Valder, unbelievable. They think they are safe from us. I have not fed yet. It is like they are delivering themselves.'

'Don't, Antonius,' Valderdaine warned, suddenly serious and threatening. 'It would be the most stupid thing you've ever done.' Antony licked his lips, drawing his tongue over his fangs and sending shivers down Kenneth's spine. 'I swear if you even try and trip them up, I'll send you into exile for a second time. And this time you'll be alone, without all the other vampires.'

Before Antony responded and since Kenneth had seen the Death Eaters walking stridently towards the front of the castle he'd been listening contently, but then suddenly, one stepped away from the six and looked up at the window where the three of them stood. His heart seemed to stop its drumming beat.

It was Inez.

Her blonde hair had been cut short since he had last seen her, for practicality he was sure. She looked pale too, like her uncle and the rest of her family. She stood tall and proud, and didn't slink around the way she used to despite her sharp, rude tongue. Kenneth tried to tell himself he didn't care of her betrayal to him. She had used him, played with him, teased him and tricked him so many times more than he could count. His wolf was demanding that she was not to be trusted under any circumstances.

He hadn't a clue if she'd recognized him as he'd practically dived away from the window as soon as he'd seen her face looking up from under the folds of her black cloak. Stumbling back into Antonius, he realised how frightened he was that she was here. His heart had begun hammering in his chest, beating out a fierce rhythm. Antony's hands clenched around his shoulders tightly, like he thought Kenneth had simply tripped over his own feet.

'Easy there,' he murmured confirming he had thought that. 'Steady on your feet.'

'Shouldn't we go and see what they want?' Valderdaine asked. She had already moved right away from the window and was halfway along the corridor before she turned around to see if they would follow her.

'Don't!' Kenneth said suddenly. 'They're Death Eaters!'

Valderdaine shrugged. 'And?' she asked huffily.

'Remus and I are from the Order, there will be a fight if they see us. Besides, it's not like they've come all this way just to have a meet and greet! They're here doing the exact same thing Remus and I were sent to do!'

'Both sides of the story are always good,' Valderdaine said simply.

Kenneth grabbed her arm and stopped her in her tracks. 'If you wanted both sides of the story, why did you wait for the Death Eaters to come to you rather than inviting them like you did us? You don't want to be on their side, do you?'

Seconds later they were down by the front entrance to the castle where the heavy thud of the knocker from the outside had been heard. The Death Eaters were only here to try and convince the vampires to take up arms with them, and if Kenneth hadn't seen Inez amongst them, he wouldn't be cowering like he was now.

Valderdaine stilled for a second, her hand right on the grand door, ready to push. She shook her locks out of her face and shoved the door open. Two other vampires had gathered while they had stood around in the entrance, both looked puzzled. Antony murmured to them what was occurring and none of them seemed as shocked as Kenneth was, they took the news like the coming of spring.

But Kenneth, in his own defence, had only become nervous when he realised and saw Inez. He knew Lucius Malfoy was in Azkaban because of him (in a way). That was part of the new problem though, the problem Kenneth had played over in his mind when he saw Inez and was reminded of the Malfoys.

There was very little chance he'd just forget about Kenneth. In fact, he'd be more likely to pursue Kenneth because of how he'd essentially locked him away. Kenneth was trouble but without Lucius around to be afraid of.

'Yes?' he heard Valderdaine ask.

He chanced a look from around where he was standing, concealed. Seeing six frankly smiling faces, and since four of these were hideously ugly, was enough to make anyone throw up. Looking around from where he was a bad idea. Inez at the front of the group, obviously in command, stopped as her smile dropped drastically.

'What?' she hissed sounding eerily like her uncle. 'Kenneth Mortlock Webber?' she whispered in awe.

Inez moved forward, shoving one of her men with her hand on the chest, so that he staggered back into the entrance hall. Kenneth grimaced, standing where he was and fumbling for his wand up his sleeve. Inez only grinned madly at him as she saw his wand appear almost out of thin air. Antony was beside him in a flash before Inez was even within two metres.

'Oi,' she said giving no hint of being startled at all. 'Of course, bloody vampires. And I mean that,' she added like it was a compliment, 'in every sense of the word.'

'Garlic,' Antony commented idly. His breath was tickling the top of Kenneth head. 'You really thought it would work?' He plucked at the string around her neck when she'd come closer, surprisingly full of courage.

'It was worth a try,' she said, shrugging. 'I take it garlic is a myth?'

'Yes,' replied Antony, 'of course it is a myth. And it is obvious you have been misled about it your entire life.' Kenneth cringed. First would come the subtle insults.

Inez stiffened lightly and flung the garlic off her neck, throwing it into the face of her fellow Death Eaters. Kenneth didn't recognize any of them apart from Inez. 'So,' she drawled. 'Where is the other werewolf?'

'Who?' Kenneth asked, biting down on his lip.

'Don't play stupid with me, Kenneth,' Inez nearly snapped. 'You know exactly who I mean. Remus Lupin,' she burred like the name tasted bitter on her tongue. 'Your mission partner. Oh yes,' she added at Kenneth's surprise. 'We know all about these little missions. The Dark Lord, and us, know all about these missions that the old fart sends you on. Your first, isn't it?'

Kenneth found himself nodding in response, being to act in his normal way with Inez. 'And I was actually quite enjoying it.'

Inez's eyes flickered towards Antony and she smirked. 'Oh, I can see that,' she murmured. 'Anyway!' She clapped her hands together and turning to her men, gesturing to them. They all moved forward in a hurry, the five of them sweeping into the entrance hall. 'We thought you would have left by now. Mission accomplished ... maybe? But it turns out you are still here. A huge pity as we intended to pick at your left over's.'

'Harsh way to address us,' Antony said offensively.

'You'd better watch what you say to them,' said Kenneth. 'To all of them. Some haven't even had breakfast yet.' He chuckled, returning to his own ways quickly.

'How is Lucius?' Kenneth asked during the silence as Inez and her men realised the amount of danger they could be in now that the garlic had failed them. All wands in the room had been drawn, some shaking.

This brought about a rather sudden change in Inez. 'Don't you dare speak of him!' she yelled. 'Don't even think about him until he meets you again. He will meet you again. You haven't locked him away forever, wolf. Oh, by the way, he is fine. Not enjoying Azkaban much, but who would?'

'Sore spot,' Antony muttered so quietly to Kenneth that Inez took offense to it.

'What did he just say to you?' she demanded. She jabbed her wand in his face. 'What did he say?'

'Nothing,' Kenneth said gruffly. He tightened his fist around his own wand, though he didn't point it directly at her. 'Nothing at all.'

Swiftly, Inez surged forward and grabbed Kenneth's robes tightly, shoving him back against the wall. Kenneth wasted no time in pushing back, and hard. So hard she spiraled away from him, hitting the floor with a thud and crunch.

She lifted herself up off the ground the second she landed, but fell back down with another low thud. Her black cloak billowed out around her as she finally struggled to her fit with the help of the other Death Eaters. Kenneth laughed.

'You forgot, didn't you?' he asked.

'Mm ... Greyback did tell me plenty about you lot, your strength, and your senses. The hairy bastard even offered to change me. As if I need brute strength,' she scoffed, pushing the Death Eaters who had helped her to her feet away. 'I don't need the strength and senses of werewolves. I'm a Malfoy,' she said like that was enough. 'Pureblood,' she added. 'One of the perks of growing up Malfoy was learning to duel properly!' The volume of her words rose as she pointed her wand toward Kenneth and uttered a spell.

A flash of bright light flew overhead as Kenneth let his instincts take over in a second, but not his wolfish instincts, those of being raised in a family in which his brother was a slight more temperamental and fond of magic than he was. His shield flew up around him within seconds. Inez's spell rocketed off and out of the corner of his eye he saw Valderdaine duck as if she was a mere blur of colour.

'Oh, come on, Kenneth!' Inez taunted and behind the blue of his shield Kenneth saw her motion to her fellows who pointed their wands at everyone present in the room. 'You're unwillingness to fight, duel horrifies me. Be a sport and lower your shield.'

'No!' Kenneth said. 'Are you crazy? Why would I lower my shield? You'd just put an Unforgivable on me or something ... maybe something worse. Merlin knows what you've learnt in the last couple of months.'

'That's the difference between you halfbloods, and us pure of blood,' she said and stood straighter, arching her back like none could come no more noble then she. 'We learn to duel because it's a sport. You don't even learn to duel. You don't even know the basics.'

Kenneth remembered duelling with Sirius and how the man had taunted and teased, often showing off while he tried to get Kenneth to come out from behind his protective shield. This time, Kenneth knew better. He knew she'd be better than he was. It was obvious in everything from her stance to the way her fingers curled around her wand. If he so much as poked his head out from behind his shield, she'd either macerate him or have a right old laugh.

Sirius and Inez's still weren't much different and where most likely related in some way, as most purebloods were. He wouldn't be surprised if they knew the exact same duelling tricks to try and weasel Kenneth out of his face little position. His shields were strong, he knew that.

Something about his magic had to be decent. But as Sirius and Remus had told him, he was good at talking. If he talked long enough surely one of them would become bored sooner or later. He hoped before this turned into an epic show of power.

'Of course I don't know how to duel,' Kenneth replied simply. 'You've met my parents. Can you seriously imagine my father even thinking about the rules of duelling. He can't even hold a wand properly. And my mother was too busy with her love affair with the garden and potions. None of them would have bothered to teach us duelling while they taught us magic, especially not my father.'

'You're pathetic.'

'Not true! I'm just smarter than you are. I'm going to stay behind my shield, thank you very much, Inez dearest.'

There was a bolt of pale green, almost a sickly colour, streaming towards him. Kenneth only grimaced and adjusted his footing, knowing this would do nothing to his shields. He had a strong defence system.

When the bolt of magic hit him, he had to say he was oddly astonished. His shield broke in an instance. It just snapped, into a million pieces and spread out from around him before vanishing and returning to the light that was around them. Kenneth wasn't aware of the other vampires were doing around him or the other Death Eaters, he was more aware of himself getting to safety of kinds.

He dove behind the wall he'd hidden himself behind the first time he'd come down stairs and watched them. Kenneth stepped back, taking a moment to pull his shields back up. He let out a groan of despair it grew up around him. It didn't feel as strong as it usually did. Whatever Inez had done had worked well.

He'd never seen anything of the sort before. If Inez was just amazingly powerful or if she was being taught great magic far, far beyond Kenneth's own potential, he didn't know.

He glimpsed Inez looking shocked, wide eyed at her own wand as the Death Eaters around her sprung into action of their firing spells, hexes and curses at the vampires who'd been drawn down by the sounds. Getting away after his shield had splintered had only taken him a matter of seconds it seemed, or else Inez was just so surprised by her own spell that she stopped to stare at her wand for a while in the centre of what was starting to be quite a fight. Blazes of colour shot about the place and the vampires, who had nothing to fear, almost looked to be enjoying the afternoons exercise.

Hands touched his sides and he spun around, for the first time hearing the noise of shouts and spells behind him. He yelped lightly and raised his wand but the hands pressed against his mouth.

'Shh,' Remus whispered softly. 'It's just me. Just me,' he repeated lingeringly before pulling Kenneth along with him, a few metres down the corridor.

There was a door, small and almost hidden in the walls that Remus pushed open when they came to it and slammed it behind them. 'Did you see that?' Kenneth asked breathlessly. The cupboard was tiny and he was standing close to Remus, though they weren't touching. It was almost like Remus was careful that they shouldn't touch.

'How could I miss it?' he asked. 'How did she even do that? That is huge magic. Did you hear what she said?'

'No, not for that spell,' Kenneth assured him. 'She said another though, but she spoke.'

'That makes it at least ten times more impressive that she was able to do that,' Remus said. 'A spell that broke your shield and shattered it completely and she didn't even say anything.'

'It's weaker too,' Kenneth said, 'my shielding spell. It's not as strong as when I first used it today, I can tell.'

'It might be she's only learning all of this because a lot of the other Death Eaters are locked away in Azkaban.' Remus ran his hands through his hair, and in the scant light of the small room Kenneth could see the worry on his face. 'Inez Malfoy,' he murmured. 'How did she do that?' he asked more to himself than to Kenneth. 'Not many wizards or witches, well trained, can break someone's shield from a simple spell. And she did it without her wand too.'

'She didn't say anything, and I didn't see her wand move at all, I was kind of concentrating on her wand,' Kenneth said and shrugged. 'I don't know how she did it. But did you hear earlier?' he asked in earnest. 'Inez was saying how they knew all about us being here. The missions and how Dumbledore sends us on them everything. Good job at being secretive. Merlin, someone's a bit useless for giving all that away.'

'Unless it was on purpose,' Remus said lightly. He grabbed Kenneth's hand. 'We need to get out of here.'

'What?' Kenneth asked, though his eyes were looking at his hand enclosed in Remus's. 'Why? It's not like we are in any danger or anything,' he snorted. 'Most of the Death Eaters are hopeless out there. The vampires have it easy.'

'No, we need to tell Dumbledore that someone knows about the missions. There might be a traitor amongst us,' said Remus. He was dead serious and it was then that Kenneth realised what this all meant.

'She might have just been showing off to us,' Kenneth said. 'Inez does that. How do we know that she didn't just make everything up on the spot and was just coming to turn the vampires over to her side and stuff? We don't know anything!'

'I forgot that you know her,' Remus said lightly. 'But this is different, Kenneth. I don't think she would have made any of that up.'

'She said they were just here to talk to the vampires after we had gone! She wasn't expecting us to be here anyway. She could have made it all up easily.'

'I don't think so,' Remus said. 'Look, we have to tell Dumbledore about what she said, so don't forget it and try and remember it word for word. Even if she has made it up he will be interested to hear about her spell. She broke your shield Kenneth! You have a strong shield and you aren't willing to take it down, I know that. There could be a traitor that we are letting into our meetings without thought. Something could be going on at the Malfoy Manor with Voldemort. Anything could be happening!' Remus said fiercely. 'Mission accomplished,' he added. 'The vampires out there are fighting, more like taunting and teasing them, they look to be on our side, don't you think?'

'Urgh,' Kenneth moaned in defeat throwing his hands up, slipping out of Remus's grip.

'Dumbledore will want to know everything ... well,' the older werewolf said, he even blushed, 'maybe not everything that was happened in these past couple of days.'

Kenneth recognized that tone. Remus wanted to talk about it but couldn't quite get the words right. 'Hey,' he murmured. 'You don't have to say anything about what I told you. Ignore it if you want. It won't make a difference. It's been ignored for a while now anyway. I think I cope for a while without exploding or anything. It's ok.'

Remus said nothing, but pulled Kenneth closer to him in the small concealed room, tilting his head up to look at him. Kenneth leaned into Remus's warm face, pressing his forehead against his.

'I want to talk about it,' said Remus heartedly. 'But there are so many things.'

'Sirius ... I know.'

'It's not just to do with him,' Remus assured him. 'It's not safe to be with me,' Kenneth snorted at this.

'Don't be stupid. If you were worried about my safety you wouldn't have let me come and we have gone from this place ages ago. If it's not safe, I say bring it on.'

Remus laughed, but it was the kind of laugh that one gives as if they have been crying and were being cheered up. Kenneth wrapped his arms around him, and Remus didn't pull away. 'It's a lot of things. I love Sirius. But you -, it's confusing. Dangerous times to start a relationship with someone. You know what happened to Sirius.'

'That had nothing to do with you and you know that.'

'I can't believe you said you love me.'

'It's not that hard to believe!' Kenneth retorted. 'Seriously, it's easy to love you. Hey, no! Don't give me that look, it's true. I'm not being stupid or anything like it. And I'm not teasing you.'

'You can be so serious sometimes.'

'Only because I have to be to tell you I love you.'

And then Remus, like he was uncertain of whether or not he was doing the correct thing, kissed him, full upon the lips. Kenneth blinked, surprised, unsure, but when he saw that Remus's eyes were closed, his drooped too. There was small hesitation before he opened his lips against Remus's. Remus's tongue slid into his mouth and Kenneth's hands to his face. And Kenneth was lost, lost to the gentle flicker of candle light that lit the small room. He was utterly, irreversibly, lost.

'I, uh,' Remus stuttered when their lips pulled apart. Kenneth reached out with his fingertips to touch Remus's redden, swollen lips, not to silence him but just feel what had been on his lips moments ago. The older werewolf sighed and let his hands drop away from Kenneth, quickly. 'Mm, sorry,' he murmured lightly.

Kenneth frowned, but then smiled widely. 'You're actually sorry?' he asked, crinkling his nose with laughter. 'Amazing,' he whispered as he caught Remus around the waist and hugged him tightly. 'You're sorry for giving me what I've wanted for so long?' he asked. 'Don't be such a moron! Why would you even apologized for kissing me?'

There was a flicker of doubt in Remus's eyes and he shrugged vaguely against Kenneth. 'You seemed surprised.'

'Oh, I was!' Kenneth said. 'But in a good way.' He smiled and buried his hands in Remus's hair, making sure he played with the strands gently in his hands. 'Best surprise I've ever had!' The second Remus looked up at him again, his mouth was on his.

Kenneth kissed him gently, sucking lightly on his bottom lip, trying to get him to open his mouth. He nearly collapsed from joy when he felt Remus move into the kiss. The other werewolf slipped his arms around Kenneth, and tightened them around him, squeezing the fabric tenderly with his fists. Kenneth's eyes fluttered between being closed and being dimly opened, almost like he was in the midst of an orgasm.

Remus sighed lightly, just so that Kenneth could hear. The worn werewolf was staring down at his feet now that he had loosened his grip on Kenneth. There was pain in his amber eyes.

'It's Sirius, of course,' Kenneth said, disgruntled but having to understand, it was all he could do. 'If it makes you feel any better we can forget that ever happened and I just go back to ...' he waved his hand unsure but then found the word, 'pining.'

'Don't make me feel guilty,' Remus said. 'I already feel guilty enough. For a minute,' he grimaced, 'for more than a minute, I wished you were Sirius. You even tasted like Sirius. Merlin, sometimes you even smell exactly like him!'

Kenneth cast his own eyes downward, understanding how awful that would feel. To have someone whose smell you knew so well because of the ties between you and then to have that be replaced with the smell of the person you loved the most in the world. It was obvious why Remus did smell Sirius on Kenneth, no – that wasn't right, thinking Kenneth smelt like Sirius. It was because the werewolf wanted him to be Sirius.

'Sometimes I can't smell you,' he said, jabbing Kenneth in the chest with a fingernail. 'I want to smell you too, pine and cherries are what you smell like. And I love knowing that you're around because I can sense you but you're starting to smell like Sirius! I have no idea why either.'

'Because you want him back,' Kenneth supplied. He was trembling, his hands were shaking. He pulled them away from Remus before the man could feel that and he swallowed, trying to dissuade the tightening feeling in his throat. 'We should go,' he said definitely. 'You're right, Dumbledore needs to ... know. I suppose I can owl Antonius when we get to Hogwarts. Is the return Portkey in your room?' he asked, turning away from Remus, his hand already on the doorknob.

'Yes, it is,' said Remus, sounding as equally as depressed and downtrodden as Kenneth was. 'Kenneth.' Kenneth felt fingertips brush along the back of his arm. 'Are you ok?'

'Fine,' Kenneth said bluntly, checking the corridor. Why does everything need to be harder than it is? His mind asked as he went, wand first out into the hall.

* * *

That night, safe in a bed at Hogwarts (Dumbledore had put them up there for the night as apparently the Burrow was rather busy, and Molly would probably explode if she had two more guests), Kenneth couldn't help himself. He cried, but not at first.

At first he thought about the look in Dumbledore's eyes when they had told him what had happened at the castle. Dumbledore's aged eyes had widened largely at that point when Kenneth had mentioned he didn't think she used her wand at all, for that was what he had been concentrating on. The headmaster had looked astounded when Kenneth had said she had broken his shield completely but Kenneth knew that the last thing was on a whole different level. Inez was powerful; she looked to be insanely powerful. What had troubled Dumbledore more was the news that there might be a traitor amongst them.

He said, "Voldemort doesn't want to get involved with us just yet. If he had he would have come to the castle at a time when he was sure, or his source was sure, you would be there He came for the vampires. But I feel both you have given them a persuasive argument for us."

What was, perhaps, more disturbing then the obvious worry in the Headmaster's face was what Kenneth glimpsed him doing when he and Remus left his office.

Just as they had stepped off onto the staircase, with the door about to close behind them, Kenneth saw a glow of silver light pulled from Dumbledore's head with what looked like his wand.

Laying in bed now any new ideas of what Dumbledore could have been doing didn't come into his mind. Nor had he mentioned what he'd seen to Remus. The werewolf had only bid him a very brief goodnight before following a scurrying house elf to his room, near Kenneth's – just around the corner.

He had sent the briefest of owls to Antony, having no idea of how long it would take to get there. Kenneth wasn't worried about Antony, and having not to worry about him lifted a great pain off his mind. He knew the vampire could look after himself. And with thirty vampires against five Death Eaters, even though one looked to be insanely powerful, the odds pointed to the bigger party.

But what brought tears to his eyes, pooling in his brown eyes, was Remus. Remus seemed just as cut up about what had happened as Kenneth was. They'd barely had eye contact since. The only time they had held a conversation with each other was when they had come back and gone straight to Dumbledore and had argued a little about what had happened. The tears were coming fast, slick and hot down his cheeks. Burying his head in the blue pillow, he sniffed loudly as he tried to dry his eyes on the pillowcase.

He had honestly thought that with that kiss Remus was accepting his love. That Remus wanted his love. But the werewolf wanted Sirius's love and had gone and told Kenneth that he wished he was his old lover.

It hurt.

That kiss had felt amazing. Kenneth had nearly drowned in the feeling of it. He almost thought that he could still feel Remus's lips on his. Yet as it had always been, Remus had mentioned Sirius – ruining a potentially good thing. He had thought Remus wanted him too. Yet it seemed that Remus was just after something that would saturate his need for Sirius.

It did hurt that Remus smelt Sirius on him, like Kenneth was Sirius. It frightened him. If this kept continuing he'd never be able to be with Remus without being a substitute for Sirius. They were pack-mates, in a strange way that only they could be pack-mates in and of course it soothed them both to know that they could smell each other even if they were out of sight.

He couldn't decide what was worse, Remus being with him because he simply needed consolidation and Kenneth was the best he could get, being with Remus because Remus's mind and senses played tricks on him, teasing him into think Kenneth was Sirius or being with Remus and trying to live up to what Sirius had meant to Remus.

What Sirius had meant to Remus was very different from what Kenneth meant to him. But Remus meant so much to Kenneth. And if the older werewolf wouldn't let him love him openly or if Kenneth couldn't bring himself to do for fear of being a mere replacement to Sirius, he'd be content with having a strong friendship.

He loved Remus. It was simple but everything else wasn't. His love was simple, times were hard.

* * *

Thanks for reading!  
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	19. The Bells

**Unleashed  
Chatper Title: The Bells**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes:** Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

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* * *

Big dark clouds loomed over the hilly horizon when an owl tapped sharply at the window, very persistent in its mission. Flapping its wing furiously, with the approaching dark and puffy clouds as a backdrop, the owl pecked against the window. The sleeping man within the room stirred in the heavy sheets and groaned, tempted to throw a pillow at the bird even though it belonged to him and was carrying a letter of importance.

One final tap on the window from the determined owl sounded out across the room and Kenneth, snarling, flung the bedcovers off of him and stormed over to the window. He wrenched it open, glaring at the beady eyes looking back at him. The cold from outside struck him in waves. He shivered madly and shoved his arm into the cold outside, pulling the bird inside with a squawk.

He hadn't seen his owl in such a long time and realised he'd left her at the vampires' castle. He often just let her fly around freely in the evenings, letting her eat what she caught, and he hadn't needed to send a letter in a long time, so they'd both been content with not seeing and having much to do with each other. Kenneth ran his finger absently along the underside of bird's beak as his hello to her. He tugged the letter from her and shuffled back to bed, sliding under the warm covers.

He tore open the shimmery paper that only Antony would be man enough to use, breaking the seal. A letter fell out onto his lap with another shimmer of light through the parchment was normal.

Kenneth, Antony wrote, I am glad to know you and Remus made it out in one piece. I have to admit that we had fun with our evil visitors. We are all fine; though I am afraid we badly hurt and cursed a Death Eater. Not your dear friend, Inez, she destroyed a lot of the castle trying to find you. But she must have left because we could not find her. Both of you must have returned to tell your masters of the events here.

But we are all safe and well. This has even reunited Edmund with his young lover, Charles. Your clothing and Remus's are still here at the castle but we shall employ some owls to return them to you.

With good wishes, Antonius.

Kenneth smiled to himself, happy for their safety. It sounded important and as they didn't know how high up in the ranks this Death Eater was, they didn't know what the reaction would be. There was a huge possibility that no one on the other side would actually care about this slight misfortune. Or there could be hell to pay for it.

But he didn't leave the warmth of his bed. It was just so cosy and he didn't want to approach Remus much and it was still rather late at night, not yet morning. Instead, clutching the letter to his chest in a reminder that who had written this wanted him because he was him, not because he reminded him of someone else, he went to sleep.

The next morning, he woke with a bit of a start as he felt weight at the end of his bed. For a moment he thought it might be Remus but a quick look around the room made his realise it was not and he scolded himself for thinking, for wanting Remus to come in here and kiss him again no matter how much he reminded the older werewolf of Sirius. It was just his owl jumping about on the end of his bed like it was a pogo stick, crowing and hooting awkwardly.

'Shit,' Kenneth commented dryly to himself, but his owl looked up nonetheless and cocked her head to one side with an intelligent look that Kenneth was sure shouldn't be on the face of all animals.

He slid out from under the blankets for what felt like the tenth time that day, but really only the first. He trudged wearily over to the window and opened it. The bird flew right past, brushing his check with her wings as she launched herself out into the morning sky. Then there was a knock at his door. He actually froze in his path as it rang out.

'Kenneth?'

Oh, Merlin. It was Remus. It just had to be Remus. Of course he'd spent the whole night thinking about him, even in his dreams but having the man knock on his door now was a little too much, and Kenneth wanted this conversation to wait. Remus never came to him for just a normal chat about anything. He always came with a question or a demanding suggestion.

'Kenneth,' Remus repeated, almost sounding like a mother hen, impatient and drawn. 'Are you still asleep?' Remus's head poked around the door and his eyes widened as he saw Kenneth standing like a dumbstruck fool in the centre of his room.

'If I had been asleep I wouldn't have answered,' Kenneth said gruffly. He did blush when he realised why Remus's eyes were staring at him with such amusement, hungry amusement it looked to be. He was wearing very little, only a tight pair of boxers that had been a size to small for him for a long time.

Remus held his hands together awkwardly. 'Did you send anything to Antonius or the others?'

'Yes,' Kenneth said, nodding. 'He's going to send what we left behind later. I don't know when though.' He crossed his arms under the covers that where pulled to his chin as Remus sat on the end of the bed. 'Oh,' he added. 'There was a little accident.' He frowned slightly, mixed with a sigh, knowing he was overplaying the dramatics.

'Mm?' Remus said. He looked like he was preparing himself for the worst news.

'They hurt a Death Eater,' said Kenneth, fishing around under the sheets for the letter that Antony had sent. 'I have no idea what one, but it wasn't Inez. Probably one that wanted to kill himself for having to follow Inez anyway.' Kenneth rolled his eyes. 'Merlin's mother, I would.'

Remus flinched, and took the letter than Kenneth thrust towards him. Selfish and bitter were Kenneth's actions right now and Remus, if he was picking up on them, wasn't showing his care for it. 'There isn't anything personal on this, is there?' Remus asked, holding the letter at bay.

'You'd love that, wouldn't you?' asked Kenneth dryly.

'What do you mean?'

'No reason,' muttered Kenneth nearly grumbling. 'Just thought you wanted to forget and pretend I'm not Sirius and then think I am and then pretend I should be.' Merlin, Kenneth was a bitch sometimes.

He saw Remus's eyes narrow and wrinkle at the ends as he tried to grasp what Kenneth had said as he'd spoken quickly and even confused himself. 'Pardon?' Remus ended up asking lightly.

'Doesn't matter,' Kenneth said hurriedly, shrugging it off.

'Was it something about ... Sirius?' said Remus, pausing painfully.

'I'm sorry,' Kenneth said, his frown collapsing when he saw Remus's expression.

'It's ok,' the older werewolf said softly. 'I should be apologising. I must have made you feel awful.' Remus moved forward on the bed, so that he was almost between Kenneth's legs. 'I shouldn't have told you what I thought.' He stroked Kenneth's cheek making him sigh. 'I really do like you,' continued Remus. 'I do. But it's confusing.'

'I'm not trying to push you into anything,' Kenneth said.

'Oh, no. I know that. You've never tried to push me. Apart from when you made me kiss you.'

'You made me duel Sirius,' he reminded the older werewolf. 'I deserved a kiss. It was my reward.'

'You made me kiss you beforehand.'

'That's hardly the point,' he said. 'Hardly. Maybe I pushed you once. But I've never forced you into anything after that.'

'Only reminded me a million times a day that you like me.'

'It's more than that. And don't tell me you didn't enjoy me telling you.'

Kenneth saw Remus and looked like he was blushing a little when he dropped his head into a nod. 'Mm,' Remus said lowly. 'Yes, I suppose I do like you telling me.'

Kenneth tugged on the sheets around him. 'Do you think you'll always be reminded of Sirius when you kiss me?'

'I don't know,' Remus shrugged as he spoke. 'I hope not. I was very confused at the time.'

'A small melt down?'

'Maybe ... the full moon is soon.'

'I know. I've had issues nearing this full moon too. It's been a hard one, and we haven't even had the transformation yet.'

'I'm not sure what made me so confused this past couple of days,' Remus said.

Kenneth eyed him curiously before answering. 'I know what I had issues about. I was kinda confused too. Antony made me a little confused and I was ... irritated with myself I suppose.'

'Why?' Remus said. Kenneth believed the look on his face to be one of complete innocent.

'Well,' said Kenneth, sitting up further against the pillows like it was an exciting tale to tell but really it just another opportunity to tell Remus how much he cared. 'I really like Antony - '

'– because he's handsome?' Remus asked and Kenneth was surprised it wasn't a statement.

'That's partly the reason, maybe even most of the reason but in general not the entire reason. I started wanting to do things that I hadn't ever wanted to do before and it freaked me out a little. And then I realised I loved you, which was good. Before that and slightly after I realised, I was confused and annoyed at you, pissed at myself because – I don't know if you've noticed but I've been pretty darn moody recently – and I was letting off steam on you even though I wanted to tell you I love you. But yesterday,' he groaned. 'Yesterday was a good and a bad day.'

'Did you sleep with Antony?' Remus suddenly questioned.

'Not in the end, no,' said Kenneth. 'I think I was meaning to and he wanted to. But you know, didn't have time to pencil it in not with Inez deciding she must just gate crash randomly. You too,' he murmured. 'I couldn't do it because of you.'

'It wasn't so random,' said Remus, choosing to ignore his last comment. 'If what she said was true she thought we wouldn't be there at the time. There wasn't supposed to be any confrontation as far as her plans went. By the sound of it she was meant to encourage the vampires like we were, except she wasn't invited.'

'That means someone must have told her what we were doing. Did you hear that part? She said something about being told about our missions. She knew we were there but hadn't got enough information from whoever her source was about when we would leave the castle. Someone has been telling them, the Death Eaters, what we're doing.'

'Yes,' Remus said. 'That's a bit of a worry. You told Dumbledore what she mentioned about knowing about the missions, didn't you?'

'Of course. He didn't seem to care. But if she had been lying that was an excellent stab in the dark for what we were doing. I never told her that I was joining the Order of the Phoenix. I never would. And she knew you were with me. So she knows something. I reckon she's got a source very close to us. Maybe even inside the Order itself,' he said, rubbing his cold hands together. 'The plot thickens.'

'He was more worried about the intensity of the power she possesses,' the older werewolf said, 'which is understandable because it was very incredible and you have a strong, strong shield. I've seen it. It's very deep in colour and that's the mark of a good shield. Not much could get through that. Can see through your shield?' he asked erratically.

'If I couldn't it wouldn't be helpful,' snorted Kenneth. 'It's clear and I can see through it and only see a little blue and sometimes it blurs but that's it. Otherwise I could count the freckles on Inez's face.'

'Very good,' Remus murmured. 'That was what I tried to get my seventh years at Hogwarts to do but as I couldn't even produce anything as strong as yours the exercise failed somewhat. The fact that she could break something like that without speaking or with wandless magic – you weren't sure about that were you? – is something amazing.'

'I know she didn't use her wand at all, I was watching that intently.' It was true too; he had been staring at her wand like a hawk. 'She might have spoken and I might have missed it. I dunno though.'

'I will tell Dumbledore again. And stress the point,' said Remus. 'He must have been over thinking Inez's ability with her spells and missed that. It is important. I agree.'

* * *

The Burrow was a warren of warmth, shelter and safety. The halls of the crammed house blasted them with warm, toasty air the second they were welcomed inside by Molly. A trip to fetch their clothing left behind here (and to stay a few more nights until the moon) was halted by Molly insisting that they have lunch with her, Arthur, the boys and the girls. Along with welcoming them for lunch Molly had whispered incisively in their ears that they must stay two more nights. Oh, she was precise. Two more nights before the full moon and then they'd be asked to leave the Burrow. The Burrow was built on a large amount of land, but there was no way that Molly would let them guard off some and use it for the moon. Not with all the children back from Hogwarts anyway.

A variety of faces sat down at the table that lunchtime, though the majority of them were Weasley and pleasantly similar, there was the bushy hair of Hermione and Harry Potter who was looking less and less like a boy wonder and saviour of the Wizarding world each time Kenneth saw him. He had always been scrawny, and lanky and overall rather slender in a girlish way but he didn't seem to be powering through that time where it changed in boys. Kenneth remembered that. He'd spent a holiday with his aunt in some remote place, even now he couldn't remember where, and then when he'd come back everything had improved. He was faster, and stronger, even outplaying his brother in almost everything. It was entertaining that the boy who was slowly being reputed as the "only one to save them" looked like he could be snapped by just clapping him on the shoulder. But if all the rumours and stories were true, Harry was made of much sterner stuff.

'I invited the whole Order for this lunch when I heard Remus and Kenneth would be coming back today,' Molly simpered and all eyes turned to the pair sitting next to one another. 'Pity many of them couldn't come.'

'Pity,' Ron repeated, his eyes fixated on the food Molly was putting them on the table before them.

'Can you imagine Snape here?' Ginny murmured. Kenneth cocked his head to one side, discretely listening. Remus's eyes slid over to them for a second before shifting back to Molly who was placing food on his plate, crazy amounts of food.

'I don't think he would have come,' Hermione pestered Ginny. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry. 'And if he had, he wouldn't be sitting near us.'

'Why ib he eveb in dah Order?' Ron asked, his mouth completely overflowing with food, Kenneth could only tell from the sound of his voice. 'I thought he was evib.'

'We don't know that yet, Ron. We don't know if he's with Dumbledore or ... Voldemort,' Hermione said with an exasperated sigh, picking idly at her food. Harry grunted, and Hermione turned to him avidly. 'All you've put against him as turned out to either be not so true or completely false! You have never had any evidence.'

Ginny raised her head to one side having just rejoined the conversation after initially starting it. 'What's this about Snape?' she asked.

'Nothing,' Hermione said quickly and then whispered in Harry's ear. 'He's not evil.' She glared at Ron who shut his mouth and nodded, wide eyed.

Kenneth was fighting the urge to yank hard on Remus's sleeve, and hiss in his ear. He now, thanks to the three friends had an idea about who perhaps had ratted them out and how Inez had come to know if what they were doing. He just knew there was no way she could have had a lucky guess about it. That was too lucky, unbelievably right on target. Composing himself from jumping up that second and dragging Remus out of the room, he gulped and looked down to the food in his plate and ate.

As far as Kenneth knew, Snape would be the closest person to them to know about what missions Dumbledore sent them on, and it would have to be someone very close to find out exactly where they were going and what they were going to do. If it wasn't Snape, maybe Snape would know. Kenneth was determined to find out, preferably with Remus's help but he could do it without the help of the other werewolf if need be.

* * *

'I think I know who could be the traitor,' Kenneth said, smiling and feeling rather proud of himself, 'or if you want to call them a traitor. More of a two-timer fits better.'

He was back to his old self somewhat, talking like he wanted to be punched in the face every time he opened his mouth, but that was just Kenneth, and it was nice not to be sad, confused or angry all the time like he had been at the vampires' castle.

'Who?' asked Remus desolately, scratching his chin.

Harry, Hermione and most of the Weasleys had all gone into Diagon Alley, Remus and Kenneth (Kenneth had taken to slumming about the Burrow in a singlet and a boxer shorts) who had been left rather short of clothing and the want to go, had stayed behind at the Burrow, just the two of them, much to Kenneth's delight.

He licked his lips and shuffled closer to Remus who put down his book expectantly. 'Snape,' he said with a nod when Remus' eyes flattened in a puzzled way rather than an agreeing way. 'What?' Kenneth asked. 'Don't you think it's true?'

Remus sighed and crossed his legs, frowning at Kenneth. He shrugged. 'It's been called upon before,' he said, 'Snape's true alliance. People have commented on it plenty of times before. I'm not so sure if I believe him sometimes, but he's sworn that his alliance lies with Dumbledore. And Dumbledore refuses to hear a bad word against him.'

'If it's been questioned before doesn't that mean it's a little obvious he might not be entirely with the Order at all?' Kenneth murmured leaning against the arm rest of the couch, his feet touching Remus's thigh. 'I don't know. But isn't kinda reasonable to think that maybe he might had ratted and told You-Know-Who or something? Who else would have done that? It's not like there's anyone who knows the Order well enough on the outside and how would they know about our missions. No one knew about our missions but us and Dumbledore.'

'There's no point thinking about it, Kenneth,' said Remus. 'If it was Snape, Dumbledore isn't going to hear anything about it unless we have huge amounts of evidence to support that. I don't know who it was.'

'But what if we go on a mission again and the same thing happens, except they end up deciding to come at the same time as do purely to, you know ... engage in conflict!' Kenneth said, waving his hands in the air like a madman. 'She couldn't have guessed that, Remus. She's clever but not that clever. This whole Order thing is supposed to be "shrouded in mystery" and she couldn't have known! Someone is giving information from the inside, way inside!'

'Dumbledore didn't seem to be concerned about it,' Remus said and placed a hand on Kenneth's shin, probably to shut him up from spurting about this anymore. 'But I will remind him the next time I see him.'

'Ok,' Kenneth said resignedly. 'I just think that Snape is really the only person who might have done it, given people's suspicions about him and everything. And he was the only person I could think of at all.'

'Just keep it to yourself,' Remus said smiling warmly, but not falsely. 'And if you think of anything else about it, tell me. But I suppose you've thought about this as well,' Remus mused, 'we can't stay at the Burrow for much longer.'

'I know, Molly will have a fit and get it into her head she's turned into our mother or something.'

Remus smiled. 'We should find someplace else to stay since we can't go back to Grimmauld Place.'

'We?' Kenneth asked, biting down on his bottom lip and raising his eyebrows. 'We ... you want to keep living with me, or at least near me,' he added with a smirk at Remus's blush.

Remus was nodding and not denying this, Kenneth's smirk turned into a small little embarrassed smile. 'I do,' he said lightly. Remus set his shoulders like he was on a quest and his face like he needed to ask a serious question. 'It's a pack thing,' he murmured. 'I get nervous if you aren't around a lot.'

'So do I,' Kenneth said, and bravely reached out to stroke the skin of Remus's cheek, leaning right forward over his legs to do so and feeling the stretch of it. 'And I get nervous because I love you.' He leaned back on himself, curling his knees up to his chest when Remus pulled away from his hand, looking uncomfortable. 'I'm sorry,' Kenneth whispered.

Remus's eyes darted all across the place like he couldn't focus on one thing long enough; they flickered between Kenneth, the fireplace, the rug on the floor, and his own hands. Kenneth watched Remus's eyes moving about and tried to focus on the amber orbs without losing them again. Eventually, he gave up and looked down at his own hands. Remus was taking so long to make any kind of response.

'I think ...' said Remus slowly, like he had only just learnt to speak after being denied it for long. 'I just don't ... no,' he paused and looked at Kenneth, his eyes settling finally on his. 'Merlin,' he breathed. 'Like I told you yesterday at Hogwarts, I do like you, a lot, Kenneth. Really a lot,' he said in hushed tones, his eyes lingering across Kenneth's body that was left rather uncovered by the amount of clothes he was wearing. 'I want to be with you.'

Kenneth's heart rose into his throat, he untangled his limbs from each other and blinked, startled by the forward remark from the werewolf who'd spent a lot of time trying to avoid talking to Kenneth about how he felt. Slowly a smile drew itself across Kenneth's face and touched Remus's hand gently.

'I reckon you know by now that I do too,' he said, almost whispering. 'Hey, Sirius would want the best for you,' he said when he saw that look in Remus's eyes that he had learnt to connect with Sirius, easily now. 'You were friends longer than you were together and I'm sure that he'd want you to have what you wanted.' Kenneth wasn't just saying it to get Remus to crawl closer to him at all, he meant it. 'He loved you, Rem,' added Kenneth, and for the first time he used that nickname. 'You love him still, but in time there'd always be someone else. He'd want you to live.'

'And no one would be as understanding about that as you,' Remus said, talking more to himself than to Kenneth but staring deeply into his eyes. 'After all, we got together because of you. You changed everything,' he said yet not in a gloomy tone, 'and I'm glad.'

'Merlin,' Kenneth sighed, 'I love you.'

His lips were met by Remus's, and he eagerly kissed back. He moved onto his knees, cupping Remus's face in his hands, pouring a lot into the simple meeting of lips. There was a faint and startled moan from Remus as Kenneth pushed him back gently against the arm of the couch, nibbling against his bottom lip. Remus moaned into the kiss and licked Kenneth's teeth.

When it broke, Kenneth's arms were hanging helplessly around the werewolf's neck and he pressed his face into Remus's neck. Remus's arms snaked around his back and hung on to him tightly, and ending up pushing him closer into his body.

'Tell me if you ever get uncomfortable,' Kenneth murmured so ready to fall asleep where he was.

'Same to you,' Remus said and added, 'you've waited a long time for this, Kenneth?'

'Yeah,' Kenneth said. 'I have. But that just makes it ten times better when I get it, easily, ten times.'

'We still need to find a place to stay,' muttered Remus. Kenneth sighed; it brought everything back to the harsh reality of their situation. 'We can't stay here much longer and we can't stay at Hogwarts as the school year starts soon.' It was now unspoken and assumed that Kenneth and Remus would go together. 'I don't know where.'

'I'm not sure either,' said Kenneth lowly. 'I have enough to rent a reasonable house for about two years.' He was now speaking into Remus's chest as he'd shuffled around somewhat, unable to really find himself comfortable yet knowing that he was.

'You can't do that,' said Remus as Kenneth had predicted.

'Well, why not?' he asked, sitting up completely. 'I'd be doing it for myself anyway. It's not like you have to pay double if you have another person renting the house with you. It'll be fine. Hogsmeade, I was thinking,' he added. 'Nice place, we could start the rumours of the Shrieking Shack being haunted again!' Trust Kenneth to get excited about rekindling an old folktale – well, not so old.

'Hogsmeade is expensive.'

'It doesn't matter. It's close to the castle if Dumbledore needs us; Hogsmeade has plenty of fields and unused space around it for the full moon. It's pretty much ideal!' Kenneth's eyes were glinting as he thought of it. A little cottage right on the outskirts would be ideal. 'There are some places that aren't that expensive.'

'But people know me for what I am,' Remus reminded him. 'Hardly anyone was comfortable with the idea of me being a werewolf and teaching at Hogwarts, how would they even be comfortable about me living near them?'

'You think about other people far too much. They can shove it,' Kenneth said seriously. 'They can get over it. Chances are they might not even recognize you. I'm going to rent out a cottage in Hogsmeade, I have decided just now. You can come with me if you want or do something else. I think it'll be a good place. And the run down cottages are actually really nice on the inside and cheap too.'

* * *

The morning after the full moon, when the moon had set and they returned to the Burrow with Molly's wishes, Kenneth found himself indulging in the warmest bath he'd ever had. Pain still wracked his body and there was pain around his left knee. He hadn't looked yet and he didn't intend to nor could he be bothered placing a spell on it. The hot water that was frothing around him was soothing enough. The water washed around him as he sunk down, so his neck and chin were under the water, he lifted his hair out so that the messy mane would not get wet.

The full moon hadn't been bad as the lead up had predicted. There had been a moment, just yesterday before he and Remus left for an unnamed location when he'd snapped. He and Remus had both been feeling really off about this moon, Kenneth mainly because of the confusion he suffered, the attention he was getting from Antonius and the attention he had been trying to give Remus.

But he hadn't really so much as snapped, it was different, he had blanked. Kenneth had been talking to Tonks in the kitchen of the Burrow, peacefully, calmly. There was nothing to it, Tonks wasn't upsetting him or annoying him at all. All she was doing was wearing a strange expression on her face as she and Kenneth spoke, but Kenneth didn't even think she, herself, realised she was wearing it. He had just blanked suddenly, his mind was acting like it had been completely wiped of logical and rational thought for several seconds – he was just thankful it hadn't been longer or he may have hurt Tonks. It was like part of his mind had just stopped working and when he came back around Tonks was staring at him with shards of a single plate smashed around their feet and Kenneth holding the remnants of it in his hand.

He sighed, wincing as his leg pained him as he moved. As usual he couldn't remember what had happened last night just the beginning pricks of terrible pain that started it off. He didn't have any idea how he had hurt his leg and didn't feel the need to look at it. If it wasn't bleeding, wasn't broken – it didn't hurt him excruciatingly – and he hadn't popped a joint or anything, he figured it could wait.

Just as he tipped his head back against the cold in contrast rim of the bath, sighing happily, the door to the small room creaked out. Kenneth made no move to cover his body up in the pristine, clear water. He only leaned his head back further to see who had rudely entered without announcing themselves.

'You should really knock,' Kenneth said pointedly. 'I could have been doing anything here.'

'Molly said you'd be here,' said Remus ignoring Kenneth rather wholly.

Kenneth smiled. 'And you just decided to come in despite my ... nakedness?' he asked, in what he hoped was a tantalizing voice. 'Mm,' he added, 'comfortable around me already?'

Remus shook his head, a blush now across his face as Kenneth had brought the fact that he was taking a bath to his attention. But he remained composed. 'I've seen you naked before,' he reminded him, 'when I bandaged your chest after your first moon.'

Kenneth frowned. It seemed such a long time ago. 'I should have only been half naked, unless peeping tom decided to get a bit frisky ...' he drew off wanting to see Remus's reaction. To his surprise and excited delight Remus chewed his bottom lip while shrugging. 'You did?' Kenneth continued. 'That's not like the admirable Remus Lupin I know.'

'My hand slipped, I swear.'

Kenneth snorted. 'That's your story.' He watched as Remus walked over to the toilet seat, pushed the lid down and sat on it, watching Kenneth. 'Are you ok?' he asked, running a wet hand through his own hair trying to make sure it would stay flat. 'Are you all right?'

'Fine,' Remus said distantly. 'I was surprised, actually. I'd had a bad time leading up to the moon but it was normal – as normal as it could be. But I'm not even remotely sore.'

'That's good,' Kenneth said, and agreed with the werewolf's enthusiastic nods.

'How are you doing?' asked Remus, shortly. 'Molly seemed pretty intent that you have a bath when you came in. It was the first thing she said to you.'

'She saw me limping,' said Kenneth. 'And the bath was intended for both of us – one at a time. I just got here first I supposed, with Molly's help.' He spread his arms out with a contented sigh and let one hand droop over the rim of the bath. 'It's really, really warm. I've been in here so long that I've probably turned into a prune by now.'

'You're limping?'

'My knee.'

'What's wrong with it?'

'I dunno. I haven't looked at it yet. The bath is too nice.'

'Merlin,' Remus grimaced. 'Sometimes I think you don't care much about yourself. Show me your knee?'

Kenneth obliged, and slid his left leg out over the rim of the white bath, wincing with the intense pain as he did so. 'I don't bother because I'm allergic to half the stuff Healers try and give me when I'm sick or in pain. I've gotten used to it. I tough it out like a Muggle.'

'Ouch!' Remus exclaimed, his hand fluttering to his mouth and causing Kenneth's eyes to move to his knee that had sparked the outcry from the other werewolf.

In his desperateness to see, Kenneth lost balance in the tub and nearly slipped right under the water, but caught himself, only sloshing a bit out the sides and onto the floor. All around his knee was stained with a deep, dark bruise, purple and black in colour. Kenneth cringed just looking at it. It spread all about his knee, starting just a few centimetres above it and continued down just below his knee cap. He lifted his leg to see if it moved right around his leg in a circle. Remus's eyes widened and he looked away, blushing having received a rather full on angle when Kenneth lifted his leg up a little. It didn't go right the way around, it was just a pretty coloured splatter perched on his knee, large too. And it hurt like a bitch when he bent his leg, walked and stretched his legs out.

'It's impressive,' Kenneth murmured, lowering his leg back into the water. 'That'll take ages to return to normal!'

'Excited over a bruise,' Remus commented. 'How adorable.'

'I swear this thing will turn at least twenty colours before it goes back to normal.'

'And the swelling resides,' added Remus. 'It's just potions you're allergic to, is it?'

'Those healings potions,' Kenneth said. 'There's something in nearly all of them that doesn't like me very much, or I don't like it, whatever. But they often don't have the same healing effect without it. So I just have to deal with it.'

'Healing spells are no problem?'

'Not all.'

'Put your knee back up,' Remus instructed, moving from his perch on the lid of the toilet. 'I'll do that spell I used on your hand, remember that? And I'm going to teach it to you as well. Merlin knows you should have learnt a bit of healers' magic if you're allergic to their potions.'

'I didn't go to Hogwarts, no one could have taught me.' Obediently, Kenneth raised his swollen, beautifully bruised knee again, slowly as it throbbed.

Remus shook his head. 'Someone should have taught you anyway. This won't do much,' he said apologetically, 'only ease off the swelling and a bit of pain. It'll make it easier to walk on.' Remus's fingers gently touched his knee before he even had his wand out. Kenneth drew in a sharp breathe at the pain even the small touch caused. Remus looked at him carefully and withdrew his fingers, hands moving for his wand. 'Did you hear about those disappearances?' he asked softly.

'Florean Fortescue and the wandmaker,' replied Kenneth. 'You told me.'

'I wasn't sure if you processed it at the time,' said Remus. 'You were half asleep.'

'No, I heard. Do you think it was You-Know-Who who took them?' asked Kenneth. 'Or at least, Death Eaters?'

'It's possible. Ollivander was most likely taken as he is one of the great wandmakers and I can think of many reasons that Voldemort would need him.' Kenneth's flinch away from the name was so resounding he slopped a great deal of water onto Remus. 'You have to get used to the name sometime,' the werewolf pestered. 'You'll be hearing it a lot more. And it's embarrassing to flinch like that whenever you hear it, people will think something's wrong with you.'

'And I suppose you'll teach me not to react just like you'll teach me how to use healing spells?' he asked looking up at Remus with a small pout before his eyes rolled back into head as he felt the surge of magic flush over his knees. 'But – uh, what would he want with someone who makes ice cream for a living?'

'Fortescue?' Remus hummed. 'I'm not sure. But Fortescue probably wouldn't vanish on his own accord. I think that now the best answer for his disappearance is probably Death Eaters assuming he was someone else, someone who could help them. But then again,' he said, cutting off Kenneth who was about to speak, 'it might have had nothing to do with them.'

Remus's fingers moved back down to stroke along Kenneth's knee. It didn't hurt this time around. Though if Remus pressed down harder Kenneth was sure it would. It wasn't that dark, purple black colour that Kenneth had thought was pretty incredible for a simple bruise. And it didn't look as though it was going to morph to all colours before dying down. He frowned, that was the only thing that entertained him about bruises.

'Does it still hurt?' Remus asked, noticing his frown.

'Not at all. Thank you,' added Kenneth. He touched his own fingers to Remus's that had been absently stroking his kneecap. 'But it's not going to be an exciting bruise anymore.'

'At least it doesn't hurt,' Remus said. 'Do you know what you did to it?'

'Last night,' Kenneth said. 'So no, I haven't got a clue. Probably hit it against something. You didn't hurt yourself did you?' he asked, pulling his knee back under the water and twisting around to look at Remus who shook his head. 'Good,' he murmured. 'Did anything bad happen last night?'

Shaking his head again, Remus smiled. 'No, it was fine.' His hand had gently begun to twist through Kenneth's hair. Kenneth's cheeks turned hot at the attention. Remus was getting used to how Kenneth touched him all the time, whether it is innocent or not so innocent – Kenneth was rather touchy feely with the people he was in a relationship with.

Kenneth rose out of the water on his knees, so his waist and hip bone were just out of the steaming water that had turned his skin a slight pink colour. Remus moved his hands from his hair and rolled his fingertips across Kenneth's arms, looking unsure of himself. Smiling softly, Kenneth leaned forward into Remus, kissing him, his wet chest pressing into the fabric that covered Remus. Remus kissed back, softly not wanting to continue any further than the sweet thing it was. Kenneth could feel that and pulled back before his body decided to take over and let Remus have him right there.

Kenneth groaned. Remus was stunning. Kenneth was attracted to all sorts of different people and it definitely helped Remus had some soft, almost feminine qualities to his face. It made him beautiful as well as handsome. He had a proud face yet gentle and begging to be painted at the same time. Gorgeous ...

'Are you nearly finished?' asked Remus, his eyes full.

Kenneth nodded. He knew better than to suggest that Remus just come in with him. 'A towel?' he whispered. There was one underneath the windows that looked out of the orchard, Remus picked it up and handed it to him.

'Thank you,' Kenneth said, stepping out fast and wrapping the towel around himself, relishing in the pain his leg didn't give him. Unable to himself, he stepped close to Remus as he tied the towel around his waist. 'Have a good bath,' he murmured, kissing Remus's cheek before scurrying out the door, grabbing his wand and summoning his clothes along behind him.

* * *

Thanks for reading!  
Please be a legend and leave me a **_review_**! They are practically my life source as a writer!


	20. All I Want For Christmas

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: All I Want For Christmas

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes:** Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

**hint I love feed back /hint**

* * *

It was the third of September_**,**_ and the teenagers had returned to school via the train on the first of that same month. Some time had passed since the Vampires castle but still Kenneth wasn't dropping the idea of a traitor amongst them_**;**_ he thought about it regularly. Dumbledore still hadn't approached them again about anything that had happened at the castle since they had told him the second they had returned. Remus had sent an owl to him a few days earlier requesting that they speak of it again. He would be happy to speak of it some more and wanted to tell Dumbledore what had happened in more detail.

"You can't just expect him to drop everything just because you have a whim on something," Remus had repeatedly told him that whenever Kenneth brought their time at the castle up. "I'll send him an owl again if you're so uncomfortable about what happened there."

He turned, his brow furrowing against the cold wind that the path blew towards him. He loved this little road to their house so much that he often walked it rather than Apparated, like most wizards would. It was a reasonably long walkway with a picturesque dark wooden fence on either side of the gravel path. Long browned grass grew on both sides of the path, only kept at bay by the fence. Either side of the barrier to the grass fields spread out for many yards, especially on the right side of the cottage that was right at the end of the road. On the left side of the fence the brown fields only flew out for ten – fifteen minutes walk at a fast pace and the rooftops of the village of Hogsmeade could be seen.

It was an artist's house, the place he'd just begun renting. Small, compact and in the middle of nowhere. It amused Kenneth. Two nights spent in this house_**,**_ and he already believed he knew it inside out.

There was a reason the house was so cheap to rent as there were obvious faults with it. Such as the crumbling wood of the front door painted as prettily as possible yet that could be fixed in a heartbeat. The door outside which sat shows that Remus had requested they leave outside for the sake of not trampling mud on the clean white carpet and wood that lay on the floors.

The rest of the house was dainty to say the least, small and probably more for one person than two. The first thing that the house led into was a small living room, one couch, one armchair, two bookshelves, a window and two doors. Beyond that was a kitchen with a simple table, two chairs and all the essentials that made up a kitchen. Once entering the door to the house if you took a left and bypassed the living room there were two bedrooms. And then the smidge like bathroom.

The house smelt a little like old socks_**,**_ but when the wind blew it smelt like the fields or whatever smell Hogsmeade sent their way. It already felt comforting, like home.

Remus had worked nearly all day with papers strewn across the kitchen table as they both got used to their new surroundings. He was working for the Order, nonstop. It was something that he wouldn't wish to speak to Kenneth about_**,**_ and Kenneth didn't mind because paperwork was so tiring and boring he didn't want to get himself roped into helping.

'So much paperwork for the Order, beloved?' asked Kenneth, swooping in through in the door to the kitchen, letting the wind blow it shut behind him. 'Can they not do it themselves?'

'I wish you wouldn't call me that,' murmured Remus as he looked up from the paper he had immersed himself in ever since Kenneth had left for Hogsmeade.

'Ah, but such a sweet and tender face looks me when I speak it. How can I not resist calling you this name?' hummed Kenneth.

'What have you been reading?' Remus asked him, shoving his hands off his shoulders and smiling up at him. 'More of those historical romance novels you enjoy so much, dearest?'

'No, dearest isn't right. It's always beloved, dear heart, and the occasional pearl of my heart if you feel so inclined,' said Kenneth, bending low into a bow and picking up Remus's hand in his palm and kissing it gently. 'Pearl of my heart,' he repeated scarcely. 'The opal that I desire.'

'Such pretty names,' whispered Remus, 'especially for someone much older than you.'

'They are only fitting as you are such a beautiful, pretty thing,' said Kenneth and then he coughed loudly, clearing his throat. 'It's hard to stop speaking like that sometimes,' he added. 'You kind of just want to keep talking in that way. Plus it's fun.' He shrugged when Remus looked at him briefly before returning to his work, finger travelling across the words on the pages.

'Oh,' Remus added looking back at Kenneth who stopped and returned to look at him also. 'Dumbledore has finally given us that meeting you've wanted for a long time now.'

'Why couldn't he have done it earlier?' trilled Kenneth in annoyance. 'We've been pestering him for ages!'

'Just because you feel a bit uneasy about something doesn't mean that everyone should drop everything and listen to you,' said Remus_**,**_ though the fond tone of his voice was noticeable.

'Why not?' Kenneth asked. 'I might have something intensely interesting to say and then they will be disappointed they waited so long to hear it.'

Remus gave him that sigh that meant that Kenneth should shut up before he started insulting people. Remus had a variety of sighs and a few that could be shaped to get a single sentence across to Kenneth without having to say much at all. On occasion it was helpful. Kenneth had really only discovered a few days ago that Remus actually communicated a lot with him by just sighing at him. Kenneth needed to be told when to stop talking a lot of the time_**,**_ and Remus had at least four different sighs to make Kenneth shut his mouth.

The older werewolf looked at his watch, underneath worn sleeves. Placing his quill down against the parchment after drying the nib free of fresh ink, he nodded to Kenneth. 'We could go now to see Dumbledore if you'd like. He said he'd be able to speak to us all day today, except for lunch and between three and four, the times he has most trouble with students apparently.'

'Troublesome horned up teenagers,' Kenneth said and took Remus's wrist to look at the time himself. It was respectable to see Dumbledore now he thought. 'We can go now.'

'Troublesome horned up ...' Remus repeated, standing up, his wrist still in Kenneth's hand. 'You'd fit right in.' He grinned and placed his hand on Kenneth's waist, his fingers slipping down a little to touch Kenneth's arse. It was a move that was so un-Remus like, it shocked him and he was left gaping for a few seconds. Even Kenneth had moved on to groping yet.

'Cheeky,' Kenneth murmured, hiding the blush over his cheeks with words. 'You'd better watch that around company such as the esteemed wizard Dumbledore. Don't get all touchy feely on me when we talk to him or there'll be hell to pay.'

'And you'll pay that hell?' Remus said, smiling up at Kenneth.

'Merlin,' Kenneth said. 'You're acting strangely.'

Remus shrugged as they stepped out the front door, not bothering to lock it all. 'Just happy,' he said lightly. And they left it at that, Kenneth smiling stupidly as the wandered towards the castle.

Kenneth was idly muttering away to Remus as they reached the stone statue that guarded Dumbledore's office. Well, not so much as guarded_**;**_ it seemed to only stand by and politely bow away when the correct code was spoken. Even as they stepped up the staircase and it let take them to the top Kenneth was still mumbling on about his misgivings and who he thought the traitor could be. It wasn't until Remus shoved him a little and knocked on the knocker shaped like a griffin's head.

Remus's ears strained, he'd heard a wisp of voices inside both which had stopped the minute the Remus's first knock rang out. Rows of books were stacked around the headmaster's desk in a fashion that suggested he poured over them day and night, looking for something. Nothing much had changed in areas of design; however there were new assets to the room, pretty ones at that. Valderdaine and Antonius.

Both vampires and Dumbledore rose to their feet the second Kenneth poked his head around the heavy oak door, prompted by Remus. With a simple wave of his hand, the headmaster beckoned them in, relief painted clearly on his face. Antonius could be seen laughing behind his hand at the old man's obvious discomfort around these vampires. The moving images of the portraits above were all looking down at the vampires too, when they saw who entered, frowns came on nearly all their faces.

'The _werewolf,_' one hissed to another headmaster of old. 'I knew Dumbledore was kooky when gave _him _a position here but now two vampires and a werewolf in his office? Unheard of.'

'Two werewolves,' another corrected primly.

'The lad?'

'Mmhmm.'

'Professor,' Remus said by way of greeting, Dumbledore smiled in return to that and nodded towards Kenneth who dumbly raised his hand in a wave. 'Antonius,' Remus said just as politely. 'Valderdaine, it's nice to see you again.'

Valderdaine smiled and actually curtseyed to them both. Antonius was looking at him but didn't offer any greeting but a smile. The scraping sound of two more chairs being pulled across the floor broke Kenneth's eye contact with Antony. Dumbledore had summoned a seat for him and another for Remus.

'Sit, sit,' Dumbledore said. 'Then we may discuss what happened at your castle,' he added looking pointedly over the top of his glasses at the vampires.

Kenneth sat down awkwardly and suddenly found that Antonius had quickly taken the seat next to him and Valderdaine sitting on his left.

'Cub,' Antonius murmured. 'It is good to see you again. After this we must talk.' Kenneth opened his mouth in something of a protest. 'No excuses, I want to speak to you.'

'Now,' Dumbledore said. 'I thought this mission was fairly standard with a minor hiccup near the end. The arrival of Death Eaters was unfortunate but probably not all unpredicted. They have been trying to recruit others to the cause of Voldemort.' Kenneth closed his eyes a fought back a shudder. 'But your persistence to talk to me has almost become annoying,' Dumbledore said to Kenneth with a merry glimmer in his old eyes. 'I know what happened there, you told me it. Forgive me if I didn't take much notice to all the minor facts. Let's talk about what happened again.'

Valderdaine interrupted with a small worried look on her face. 'The Dark Lord hasn't taken any actions against us because of who we injured, has he?' she asked. 'Because I remember the last time he was powerful and Merlin, I don't want to relive it again!'

'Not as far as I am aware,' Dumbledore said.

'Kenneth, I believe,' Remus said, 'is particularly uncomfortable about the fact that the Death Eaters knew we were there. They somehow knew that we were there before them.'

'But they strategically planned for their visit not to coincide with yours,' Valderdaine said. 'Surely they didn't mean to have any confrontation at all.'

Kenneth grimaced. 'It's the fact that they knew what the mission was so well. Hasn't anyone else thought about the idea that there could be a traitor here, or a spy?'

'Cub,' Antonius said and Kenneth heard Remus's sharp intake of air as the vampire touched his arm gently. 'The only ones who knew of your coming were only us at the castle, the headmaster and yourselves. How would anyone else have known?'

'The other vampires,' Kenneth murmured looking right to Dumbledore who stared back at him. 'Is there anyone of them who would of ...?'

'No,' Valderdaine snapped quickly. 'I'm fairly sure I know what everyone gets up to at the castle. I know about everyone's past histories. That's the problem with living with so little people; you tend to end up knowing them too well.'

She was different from the moody yet cheery Valderdaine that Kenneth remembered from the castle. She was acting just moody and bitter.

'Ok,' Kenneth said, feeling her bad mood was infectious. 'What about in the Order, though?' he asked. He heard Remus's sigh but didn't stop. 'I know Snape for one, maybe, could have ...'

Dumbledore coughed and shook his head. 'No. The potions master is a different man. Though very close to the Order, he is strictly with the Order. Is that your only suspect, Kenneth?'

'Well, yes!' Kenneth said. 'I don't know. It's been hard to think about because Inez knew our plans so well that it was frightening. Anyone of us could be spying and relating information back to them!'

'Then we'll just have to be more careful,' Dumbledore said. 'Personally, Kenneth, this has only happened once so far.'

'The Department of Mysteries!'

'Occurred because Harry allowed Voldemort to see into his mind and plant a false vision of Sirius being tortured in that very place. If it happens again, Kenneth, then we will have reason to worry. But it could have just been a one of thing.' Kenneth scowled and crossed his arms. 'I am more concerned about your friend with a huge magical ability.'

'Old friend,' Kenneth corrected.

'Very well,' Dumbledore said. 'But the magic she performed was rather dazzling I hear. Both Antonius and Valderdaine say she was more powerful for her age then anyone they have encountered before. She managed to destroy your shield?'

'Yeah,' Kenneth said, remotely disgusted that this discussion had returned to Inez so quickly. Kenneth thought the matter of a spy amongst them was more pressing then how drastically powerful Inez had become. 'She shattered it basically, into tiny pieces.' It was strange that Remus had been the one – at first – more pressed about the traitor and now Kenneth had to push it forcibly into conversations. 'She looked surprised she'd even managed to do that herself. I don't think she expected anything quite so strong.'

Dumbledore was listening to him intently and even Valderdaine seemed enwrapped as she twirled her fingers through her hair. 'Go on,' the professor insisted. 'What was the spell like and what colour did it have to it_**?**_ I know I've heard this all before but now I find I have some time to concentrate on it. I, myself, am not even sure that I could break a shield with a single spell. It would take more than one. And Remus says it definitely takes a lot to break your shields down seeing that you don't concentrate on fighting you concentrate on keeping your shield up.'

'Uh, well,' Kenneth said. 'It was green, the spell, was green.'

'Light green,' Antony supplied. 'A very pale green colour, not bright at all, nor was it striking.'

'Yeah, pale green,' said Kenneth. 'It was almost not even green, sort of,' he added vaguely. 'I can remember she didn't point her wand at me at all. And I can't remember that she spoke.'

Dumbledore pulled his glasses off his face. 'This sounds like she has become very, very powerful. Impossibly powerful for someone without years of practise, much more then she has had.'

'It could be old, dark magic,' said Remus. 'The Malfoys have tried to uproot as much old magic as they can and the darker the better. It could be called a hobby. Any one of them could be teaching this to Inez if she has been dubbed powerful enough to learn it.'

'Possible,' Dumbledore said. 'Did she cast anything of the sort later?'

Valderdaine shook her head, quickly, and pulled her fingers from her mouth – she'd been chewing on her nails through the discussion. 'She didn't, not anything that powerful. Just ordinary curses and hexes, not even an Unforgivable. I don't think she was drained of power. She certainly has it in her to do more than that.' A delicate and satisfied smile played on her lips for a second before her nails returned between her teeth.

'She did not do anything else like that,' Antony said. 'But when they escaped the house, the Death Eaters, vanished completely. Not one by one or anything, all at once. I heard one word shouted - a spell of some sorts but I cannot remember what it was.'

Dumbledore rose from his chair and advanced towards the vampire. 'May I?' he asked, gesturing with his wand towards Antonius's head. 'You will still have the memory but I will have a mere copy and maybe then I can hear this word and see what happened with a more complete view. Kenneth's must have cut off into another that isn't relevant as they left rather quickly.'

As Antony nodded, Kenneth clutched at his hair with morbid shock at what Dumbledore would have witnessed if he had taken Kenneth's memory of that evening. He would have seen the whole scene in the tiny room between Kenneth and Remus. Thank Merlin Dumbledore hadn't wanted his memory of that night.

'It won't hurt,' Dumbledore said as he placed his wand to Antony's temple.

'Do I look scared?' Antony bit back sounding like he may well be scared, or just apprehensive if this had never happened to him before.

A blue strand was being pulled from the vampire's head, and Kenneth looked on with interest. This was the first time he had seen this being done at such a close range and he swore that he could see tiny figures moving about in the copy as it was pulled away from its original owner. Antony breathed out softly when Dumbledore's wand left his head surely and the professor went back to his desk, bottling the memory quickly with an unused vial.

'Thank you,' he said kindly. He looked to the rest of them. 'Thank you,' he repeated. It was a dismissal and Valderdaine was the first to leave the office.

Dumbledore had called back Remus for second, they were talking in low whispers and much to Kenneth's annoyance he was not invited in on this. The issue he wanted to address had not been and it had flown back to the mere _brilliance _of Inez's power. Oh yes, she was an exciting subject to talk about, the newly initiated, all powerful Death Eater and Malfoy.

Antonius grabbed his arm, pulling him to the side when the staircase dropped them off at the bottom, next to the statue. 'I presume you will be waiting here for Remus?' he asked.

'Yeah, I will be.'

'So ...' he said, drawing it out and raising his eyebrows. 'He has accepted your love, no doubt or just hates me being around you, I am not sure but I would say both. He does not like it when I touch you at all.'

Kenneth flushed. 'He has, yeah. It's getting there,' he added, running a hand through his long hair. 'He doesn't mind it so much when I tell him I love him.'

'He has not said it back as he?'

'How do you even know these things?' Kenneth asked, rolling his eyes and smiling.

'I can just tell. It is all right, though,' the vampire murmured. 'Good things come in time.'

'Merlin, I hate that saying so much.'

'It is true.'

'I know. That's why I hate it.'

Suddenly, Antony had his strong arms wrapped around Kenneth's frame. Kenneth couldn't help but collapse into the embrace. 'I have to go follow Valderdaine. She is in an awful mood. I would not be surprised if she had nearly destroyed half of Hogwarts.' With a laugh, the vampire placed a cold kiss atop Kenneth's head. 'We will see each other soon, I hope,' he added with another smile and walked down the corridor.

'I hope so,' murmured Kenneth.

Kenneth turned at the noise from the gargoyle as it ground out of place, letting Remus come out from behind it. Remus smiled softly, awkwardly at Kenneth. 'I'm sorry he didn't listen,' he said.

'Its fine,' Kenneth said, wanting to loop his arm through Remus's as they wandered down the corridor, Antony was far out of sight. 'I guess he's got bigger things to deal with other then my issues about spies and stuff. It can't be that bad it hasn't been happening in anything else to do with the Order,' he said dropping his voice to a whisper. 'A more onto it spy would be spilling secrets about everything they heard. Pretty useless spy then.'

'Dumbledore's worried about how strong Inez Malfoy has become,' Remus said. 'He's wondering about what kind of tasks Voldemort has lined up for her.'

'Don't say the name,' Kenneth moaned, his hands over his ears childishly.

'You'll have to get used to it.'

'Everyone's been saying it all day and I swear my ears are ringing now!'

Remus rolled his eyes and ran a hand through Kenneth's hair, reaching up to do so. 'There's nothing in a name,' he said.

Remus was standing in the centre of the room, run down and many things rotting, with the face of man in remembrance. The windows let little light into the room because of all the dust gathered around them, but it bathed Remus in a musky, almost inhuman glow. Kenneth was laying against the bed, after having moved the mouldy pillows in disgust, his hands behind his head and the back of them resting against the crumbling wall. He was completely in the shadows, where the bright soft light from the moon didn't show, watching Remus stare around the room, reliving past memories.

Suddenly, the dust became too much for Kenneth's nose to handle and he sneezed, loudly and repetitively. He'd never been able to sneeze just once and he'd never been able to sneeze quietly either. The sneezes jolted Remus out of his little world that he'd transported himself to with such ease. The older werewolf jumped and spun around, staring with surprise at Kenneth. Kenneth, who was pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand, waved his other.

'Sorry,' he sniffed. 'It's dusty in here.' He wiped his nose along his sleeve awkwardly, frowning to himself. 'Bloody Merlin, there's dust everywhere.' Merlin, Jesus and all the Pagan and Greek gods combined.

'This place hasn't been used in a while,' Remus mused and Kenneth could feel a history report coming on – he scowled to himself when the word history crossed through his mind, Remus wasn't old. He was just older than Kenneth was. 'It was built especially for me,' the older werewolf continued. 'Just for me, when I came to Hogwarts.' He was smiling to himself, lost in his thoughts of the times he'd spent here.

'Dumbledore was good to build this for you,' Kenneth said and then corrected himself. 'Not himself, I'm sure but to invite you into the school despite everything. I have to say he's a good chap sometimes.'

'Sometimes?' Remus asked softly, looking around to Kenneth. His eyes faltered however like he couldn't find him in the shadows. 'He's always been good, always accepting.'

'He doesn't like vampires though,' Kenneth said quickly and when he was subjected to a glare from the other werewolf, he held his hands up in defence. 'I'm just saying.'

'He doesn't like vampires as much as you do,' Remus murmured with a grin.

Kenneth looked for something to throw at Remus but the only things around were ones that would hurt on contact. 'Shut up!' he yelped. Remus still picked on him for the romance that nearly happened with Antonius. But when Remus brought it up, Kenneth would mostly reply with a "but I love you too much, and I did then too."

Smiling, Remus strode over to where Kenneth sat on the bed and sat down beside him, although not in the comfortable position Kenneth had forged for himself upon their arrival in the old rundown place. Calmly, Kenneth reached out and touched Remus's brown hair, drawing the tips of his fingers along the soft strands. 'You have some memories of this place, I'd imagine,' Kenneth murmured into Remus's hair.

'Yes,' Remus said. 'Many of them weren't good but there was the occasional one.'

'At school,' Kenneth began, 'did you transform here every moon?'

He stopped speaking, the sentence was meant to have more to it but he floundered and it ran dry. He'd been through so many full moons himself now, it had nearly been a year since he'd wound up in hospital feeling like the end of the world had come. He was ridiculous to think his life would end with one small nip. Perhaps not so small, the scar of it was still visible across the side of his stomach, ugly and ragged. He hated it. He didn't want to think it as it sounded stupidly corny, but the bite had lead to him meeting Remus and maybe his life had actually begun then.

Countless full moons later and here he was, still alive and living a life that wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for the attack. He'd slid so easily into the role that his new life had forced upon him. There were moments when the full moon brought nothing but suffering and confusion beforehand_**,**_ but Remus assured him that he even felt like that sometimes, and after all these years too. It was alarming of how quickly Kenneth had morphed to his new ways of living. It seemed almost natural now. Natural to turn into a monster, he grimaced at the thought. But that was how it was. Kenneth had always been quick to accept change and things different, maybe that was how this experience was made easier for him.

It had been an easy thing for him to accept that his parents and friends no longer wanted anything to do with him. He'd taken that information and let it sink in for only a few weeks before accepting that and moving on. Kenneth could barely believe it had almost been a year, a whole _year. _It seemed intense. He was amazed, gobsmacked. Christmas was just around the corner_**,**_ too. But the build to every full moon, all eleven of them, including this twelfth, stayed clear in his mind no matter how normal they had become.

_Nearly a full year. _Amazing.

'Yes,' Remus said and then looked thoughtful for a second as he finally answered Kenneth's question. 'Yes, I think I did. Some full moons I can't even remember.' He glanced at Kenneth. 'What I can remember about them though is that after Sirius, James and Peter found out, they spent every full moon with me. Sirius was most understanding of all of them.' Kenneth rolled his eyes, lifting his head away from Remus and into the shadows where he hoped his expression couldn't be seen. 'I often think that Sirius wanted to try and understand what it was like for me. His Animagus was a dog.'

'It would have been a wolf if he really meant anything by it,' Kenneth said gruffly. As usual, when he made a snarky comment such as this and Remus was in his talking on and on moods, it was ignored.

He wanted to shrug off when Remus leaned into him, Sirius's name still on his lips. Of late Kenneth had come to hate how Remus hugged him when he spoke of Sirius like Kenneth was a mere replacement for the man.

Innocent was definitely the word to describe them at the moment and ever since Remus had said to Kenneth that he wanted to be with him. Kenneth was the only one who had said I love you. Remus kissed back but became fidgety and startled whenever Kenneth tried to instigate it further. There had been the extremely awkward moment between them when the kiss had become so heated and passionate that when Remus stopped it, Kenneth had to hurry off and finish himself off.

'Sometimes,' Remus was saying, 'sometimes I wonder if he loved me back at school. I did,' he murmured lightly, 'I loved him for a long time.' Remus had opened his mouth to say something else but instead, he shifted gently against Kenneth and sighed. Kenneth knew from that sigh what Remus had been going to say. _I still love him. _It was unspoken, but it echoed around the room.

Kenneth nodded. 'He probably did,' he said it uneasily. Before he'd been able to brush off this whole Sirius and Remus thing and just focus on the Remus. 'I'm sure he loved you at Hogwarts. It would have been hard not to love you at all.'

Smiling, Remus unravelled his fingers from Kenneth's hand and gently touched the side of his face, along his jaw bone. He stood up, shrugging Kenneth off completely and walked into the centre of the room. The older werewolf stood rigid as he stared around the room. Kenneth watched him silently. 'Merlin, I feel so old. I was so young when I came here. So young,' he said in a merry way.

'You aren't old,' Kenneth said, though he barely had the heart to give proper reassurance.

'I nearly killed Snape once,' Remus stated and Kenneth couldn't help but peak up at this kind of talk. 'Sirius and James thought it would be funny if they led him here during the full moon.'

Kenneth winced. 'Not so funny,' he murmured lightly to himself_**,**_ but Remus nodded in agreement. 'He probably didn't really understand at all then, Sirius, I mean.'

'It wasn't funny. I would have killed him, seriously hurt him and maybe he'd be here sharing this conversation with us today if he hadn't got out before I'd been able to,' grimaced Remus. 'They could be so stupid sometimes! Unbelievable that they thought it would be a good idea, a funny idea. Merlin,' he said and shook his head. He sighed deeply, his shoulders heaving.

Kenneth nearly had to crawl to his feet as they had gone dead from sitting on the bed in the corner for so many hours. He crossed over the room and flung his arm around Remus's shoulders, resting his head in the crook of his neck. He felt Remus shudder from the breath on his neck, but held him close. He kissed Remus's neck softly and then the skin under his ear. Moonlight was starting to trickle in through the windows of the Shrieking Shack. Kenneth groaned. The moon had started to rise. Remus touched his shoulder in a brief show of assurance. Then it started.

* * *

The living room in the Burrow was so warm that Kenneth didn't care that one person, especially, in the room was making him very uncomfortable. Fleur Delacour and her shimmering blond_**e**_ hair like it were on fire. Her thin arms hung around Bill Weasley, and she peered around the room, huffily mentioning the horrid voice waffling out of the radio that just happened to be Molly's favourite singer, _ever. _She was distracting and making him uncomfortable not only because he agreed completely with how terrible the noise (like the screeching of a cat with very bad indigestion) was and that her hair was so shiny and it seemed to blind him.

Twinkling lights adorned the tree that stood proudly in the corner of the Burrow, Fred and George were amusing themselves during the otherwise boring evening by bewitching the lights and making them have small duels with each other. Whenever Kenneth wasn't staring bemusedly at Fleur muttering away in French about Molly and the twins forcing small glittering lights at each other, he was sleepily letting Remus stroke his hair. No one commented on this seemingly new development, though Arthur had given them a strange look when Kenneth had yawned and had all but collapsed into the older werewolf.

He had to say that the evening hadn't been particularly stimulating and it had just made him feel groggy and tired. Christmas Eve hadn't meant to be a full blazing party; it had and was more of a family and whoever else could make it affair. It was nice, and it was keeping his mind off how he hadn't received any word from his family this Christmas at all.

'Who wants Eggnog?' Arthur asked loudly, leaping to his feet and Kenneth rose his hand pretty much right after the question was answered. Arthur nodded and took a quick count of the few other hands that had risen in the room.

'What have you been up to lately?' Harry was asking Remus as Kenneth watched Arthur leave and the room dissolved back into talk.

'Oh,' Remus murmured, 'we've been underground,' he said and Harry looked behind Remus's shoulder and peered at Kenneth almost suspiciously. 'That's why I haven't been able to write. I've been very busy with all sorts of things for the Order.'

'What do you mean?' Harry asked, almost stupidly.

'I've been starting to try and infiltrate Kenneth and me into the groups of our equals. It hasn't been easy; they've started to close themselves when they used to be very open about people. Kenneth's been helpful in that sense as everyone is interested in werewolves as young as him,' Remus murmured. 'Nearly all of them are on Voldemort's side,' Remus's hand held Kenneth's thigh firmly to stop him flinching on reflect, 'but when Kenneth and I can finally get in there, we'll be looking to change that.'

'First vampires and now werewolves,' Kenneth murmured. 'Dumbledore's using us for all the hard work.'

'We are ready made spies and it shouldn't be long before the werewolves accept us completely and don't judge us as threats,' Remus said and he almost sounded a little bitter for he smiled.

Kenneth knew about what Remus had been doing, trying to push them into the centre circle of the werewolves so they could just try and change some views about the right side and the wrong side.

'Vampires?' asked Harry.

'Another mission,' Remus said, shrugging it off.

'Why has it taken so long to gain entrance?' Harry questioned.

'It's been hard because I bear the signs of a werewolf trying to live alongside wizards and Kenneth is so young, only been one of us for a year and youngsters in their eyes can be impulsive and especially since he lived around me for most of his first year, they believe he's developed the same mannerisms as I have, like still being friendly and welcoming towards the wizards and witches that usually shun us.'

'But I thought you said that it made it easier to gain entrance because of Kenneth being so young?'

'They still think they can change him to their ways, I have spoken to many of them about that. They think us to be good members of society when life has given them a worse hand then we were dealt. But they know that Kenneth is still young and his views on werewolf society can be morphed and they can manipulate him easily.'

Kenneth scoffed. 'Never,' he whispered quietly to Remus.

'Why do they like Voldemort?' Harry asked.

'They think that under his rule they will have a better life, and I don't blame them for wanting that,' said Remus, 'and it's hard to argue with Greyback there.'

'Who's Greyback?'

'You haven't heard of him?' Remus said, his hands gripped Kenneth's softly. 'Fenrir Greyback is, perhaps, the most savage werewolf alive today. He regards it as his mission in life to bite and contaminate as many people as possible; he wants to create enough werewolves to overcome the wizards. Voldemort has promised him prey in return for his services. Greyback specialises in children ...' Remus said slowly, ignoring Kenneth's jagged draw of breath as the topic was brought about. 'Bite them young he says, and raise them to hate normal wizards. Voldemort has threatened to unleash him on people's daughters and sons. It is a threat that usually produces good results.'

Remus paused and sighed before saying, 'It was Greyback who bit me.'

'What?' Harry asked astonishment in his voice.

'Yes. My father offended him. I did not know for a very long the identity of the werewolf who bit me; I even felt pity for him. I thought he had no control as I knew what it was like to transform. But Greyback is not like that. At the full moon he positions himself close to his victims, ensuring he is near enough to strike. This is the man that Voldemort is using to marshal the werewolves. And I don't think and won't pretend that our level of reasoning with them will make much headway against Greyback's insistence that we werewolves deserve blood, and we ought to revenge ourselves on normal people.'

'But you are normal!' Harry burst out. 'You've just got a – a problem!'

Kenneth sniggered and Remus burst out laughing. The boy knew nothing of what it was like and Remus may as well be telling all of this to a wall as Harry wasn't going to think anything of it later on. He didn't have to deal with it so he didn't understand, that was always the way it was. Kenneth eagerly accepted the glass of eggnog from Arthur and took Remus's for him, handing it over to him.

'Who – who bit you?' Harry asked awkwardly, stammering as he spoke.

Kenneth shrugged. 'I dunno,' he said so histrionically he wanted to go back and say it again because it sounded stupid. 'I'm not sure at all. At this stage I think that it was probably Greyback, because who else could it be? Who else would be insensitive and stupid enough to put themselves right in the centre of a London suburb just before the full moon?'

'Did you do anything like Lupin's father did to insult or anger him?'

'No,' Kenneth said. 'That's the thing. I haven't done anything at all.'

'Maybe it wasn't meant to be you,' Harry mentioned casually. 'He was in the suburbs so he could have been going for anyone around you.'

'I don't think that it if was Greyback, he meant to attack me. There's nothing that would have helped him or You-Know-Who in me at all. But once I had been bitten and Inez Malfoy learned about, she swanned over to my house and tried to persuade me to join up with,' he waved a hand carelessly, 'their lot.'

'Persuasion didn't work,' Remus whispered idly to him, almost sounding like he could easily fall asleep right there and the, with Eggnog in his hand. His voice sounded so lulled.

'Wait,' Harry murmured. 'There is another Malfoy?' he asked.

'Inez Malfoy,' Kenneth said. 'Not very well known because they tried to hide her before because she wasn't very Malfoy like. She went around with Muggles, halfbloods.' He shrugged lazily. 'But she's changed now, she's very Malfoy like. Sneaky, rude and fucking annoying.'

Harry nodded. 'What did Inez say to you?'

'She told me that since I was a dark creature that I should join with You-Know-Who,' said Kenneth. 'At least they aren't lying about what they are.'

'You said no, I take it.'

'Of course,' Kenneth said, snorting at Harry. 'Do you think I'm stupid? Merlin, never in a million years would I take their side. I much prefer it over here. I'd imagine it's generally sunnier. I don't have to deal with Lucius Malfoy over this side either.'

'Kenneth has rather a lot of unresolved issues with Mr Malfoy,' Remus said softly, in answer to Harry's confused look.

'You should be thankful he's in Azkaban then,' Harry said. Kenneth knew right away he didn't really understand what Kenneth really meant at all. He didn't catch on to the innuendo associated with what both of them had just said.

'Uh, yes,' Kenneth said as he was. 'Very happy and thankful. Glad that he won't be getting any Eggnog this Christmas,' Kenneth added with a devilish grin as he snatched Remus's cup away from his hand and took a sip. Kenneth pressed his lips against Remus's, watching out of the corner of his eye the blush that appeared on Harry's face as he heard the light moan from his new mentor.

Harry stood to his feet, murmuring something about Ron and hurried off – to the other side of the room. Kenneth kissed Remus for a decent thirty seconds after he had left and gave him a peck when he broke it off.

'You did that just to get rid of Harry, didn't you?' Remus said, sliding his arm around Kenneth's waist and gently prying his fingers away from the cup.

'Mmhmm,' Kenneth hummed. 'It's Christmas Eve,' he justified. 'I want to be with who I love ... without the Golden One, or the One Who Glows in the Dark, or whatever they call him, hovering around asking depressing questions about Greyback.' He dipped his head, trying to get Remus to let him nestle into the joint of the older werewolf's collar bone. 'I didn't want him to be around when I tell him I love you a thousand times.'

'Are you trying to get me into bed?' Remus asked coyly after he let Kenneth rest against his chest.

Kenneth laughed slightly, smiling. 'Is it working?' he asked, he knew Remus would expect that kind of response, and might have even anticipated it word for word. Kenneth didn't care that Remus practically knew everything about him because he was easy to read and it wasn't hard to figure out what he would do next. But he knew Remus too and he knew that no matter how hard he pushed the matter and no matter how much he ached, Remus wouldn't give in. Remus would only give in if he thought it was a way to satisfy and please Kenneth, which it would be. Yet Remus knew that Kenneth only wanted it if Remus himself wanted it entirely.

'No,' Remus whispered, almost taunting and tantalizing.

'Urgh,' Kenneth commented. 'Sometimes I hate you.'

'Well, hate me even more for this,' Remus said. 'After tomorrow, Dumbledore has asked, we leave for the werewolves.'

'_What?' _Kenneth sat straight up, like a rigid bolt of iron.

He stared at Remus. He'd been promised two months before they went, two weeks minimum not just Christmas Day. It was just the fact that this was happening so soon. Remus always spoke of it like the mission would be happening in the distant future not a few days. He was nervous about what would happen to them there as well. Remus returned from the times he went to slowly introduce himself and Kenneth to the group (forever insisting that Kenneth shouldn't come until they were all clear to go without the werewolves having a second thought. Sweet that Remus worried about him like that) full of stories that he wouldn't tell Kenneth and exhausted, absolutely exhausted.

Kenneth had always wanted to come with Remus when he went, because in the end he knew that when they did go to stay in this place and try and turn the minds of the werewolves there, he'd have to get to know them anyway. It was almost silly. Whatever Remus was trying to protect him from, if it was the grabby hands of those werewolves a great deal more learned than him, or the things they'd try and teach him, Kenneth would be subject to it anyway.

The sudden need for them to go worried Kenneth somewhat also. The long wait for them to go to the werewolves had shown that they still had time before the world as they knew it flipped even more on their heads. He enjoyed knowing that. And the push to go had been abrupt; Kenneth still had stopped gaping at Remus.

'Outside,' Remus muttered and grasped Kenneth's forearm, yanking him roughly to his feet. 'Let's talk about this outside.'

They stepped carefully over the legs of those who had them spread out in front of them. Kenneth was rather enthralled by this new insistent that they leave soon, very soon, that he didn't even notice the loving caresses of Fred's fingers across his twins face and neck. It was their identical almost intertwined legs they stepped across as Remus and Kenneth made for the front door, looking for some privacy to discuss this new matter. .

Just as they reached the door, there was a heavy knock on the frosted window. 'Got it!' Kenneth bellowed as he briefly heard the scarping of armchairs in the living room. He flung the door open like it was his own home. He was a fly by, which fitted him more.

Kenneth felt his face fall into an expression that would have been more fitting of a very confused house elf as the opening door revealed the tawny, grey streaked hair of none other than the new Minister. Scrimgeour.

Behind him stood another Weasley, it was simple to tell. The red hair gave it away. He was wearing glasses similar to the Minister's and looked very iffy about having to be here, at his home. His freckled cheeks were flushed red and he was nervously hovering from one foot to the other.

'Uh,' Kenneth stammered unsure of what to say, 'good evening,' he attempted in the end. It came out stupidly, like he was hiding something.

'Merry Christmas,' Scrimgeour said stiffly, not giving them a second look as he rose up on his toes to peer over Kenneth's shoulder and possibly his head and he ignored the fact that Remus before him was gripping tightly to Kenneth's arm, and staring wide eyed. 'Is Molly or Arthur -'

'- Minister?' Arthur had come to their rescue, or release, Kenneth couldn't tell. Remus took advantage of the attention being turned away from them and they scurried out the door, bumping into the other Weasley.

'Merry Christmas, Percy,' said Remus with a nod as he drew Kenneth towards the darkest patch of the front gardens of the Burrow.

'Oh, Merlin,' moaned Kenneth, 'it's freezing.' He was rubbing his arms furiously as his thin shirt really wasn't much protection against the bitter cold. 'Hold on one second,' he pleaded to Remus and pulled out his wand from the belt buckle of his pants. 'Want yours too?' he asked, 'your cloak?'

Remus nodded, the cold was pinching at his cheeks, flushing them a windswept red.

Before Kenneth set about getting their warmer layers, he hugged an arm around Remus's shoulder and kissed the side of his head. There was just enough light from the house so that he could see a faint smile across Remus's face. Remus huddled to him, and to Kenneth's delight kissed his cheek in return before Kenneth even had the chance to cast the spell.

'Whoa,' he warned, 'watch it there stud. You'll make me cast the wrong spell!'

* * *

Thanks for reading!  
Please be a legend and leave me a **_review_**! They are practically my life source as a writer!


	21. Take Me To The Riot

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Take Me To The Riot

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes:** Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

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Kenneth pulled his cloak on quickly, handing Remus his and stowing his wand away, back through the loop of his trousers. It didn't help the cold much, but as Remus walked ahead and Kenneth was forced to follow if he wanted to hear anything at all, it helped against the gloom and doom of the dark that seemingly swallowed them.

'Why do we need to go so soon?' he finally asked. 'You promised me weeks, months!'

'I know what I promised you,' Remus murmured, glancing around him like the meeting with Scrimgeour at the door had unnerved his calm, collective self. 'We have to leave soon_**;**_ Dumbledore's orders.'

'He can stuff it,' Kenneth said foully, crossing his arms. He could see his breath before him as he breathed, white and pristine.

'Why don't you want to go?' asked Remus, jumping straight to the point that Kenneth hadn't really wanted to discuss much if possible.

'Because!' Kenneth said, throwing his hands up. 'I don't want to go to a place that you've only been to and introduced me even though I've never been there! You hardly tell me what it's like.' He hung his head. 'I don't want to meet other werewolves and discover that the bad reputation we've earned – not through what's natural but the other things! – is because of what goes on in this place. Is it stupid to want these werewolves to be exactly like you and me?' Kenneth asked. 'Because that's what I want! And I know I'm not going to get it.'

' ... Are you scared?'

Kenneth sighed and rolled his head to the side, turning around in a circle before planting his feet again. 'I -' he huffed. 'I ... yes, all right! Yes, I am scared. Merlin, sometimes I wish you didn't know me as well as you do. I'm scared of what might happen there. And because of the fact you promised me months! But now, suddenly,' he waved his hands in a demonstration of sudden movements. 'Suddenly, we have to hurry off. On Dumbledore's orders_**,**_ too! Doesn't that make you think that things aren't going quite as he planned them at all?' Remus was standing still, just watching him speak as opposed to the way that Kenneth jumped around the area before him, waving his arms like an insane person. 'Don't tell me it doesn't worry you!'

Remus pursed his lips, the ultimate picture of calm. 'A little bit. It doesn't mean things are going to go _wrong, _Kenneth,' he said fairly, 'it just means that things are moving faster than anticipated. I don't think he plans much as he goes along to be honest.'

'Merlin,' Kenneth said, 'don't give me that! Dumbledore is playing _fucking _god! He's got everyone sitting in the palm of his hand. Boy Wonder in there would jump of a bloody bridge if that man told him to. He wouldn't even think twice because he'd already be jumping the second Dumbledore said the words! He's manipulative! He doesn't listen to other people when they have something really quite important to say.'

'Just because he didn't listen to you, doesn't mean he won't listen to other people, Kenneth.'

'He should listen! It was important; Inez knew more than she should have!' Kenneth drew a breath. 'Did he even say why we needed to go there right this instant?'

'It's not right away,' said Remus softly. 'He's given us Christmas.' Kenneth thought Remus looked as though he was trying to choke the words out. He highly doubted that Remus would mean the next words that fluttered out of his pretty little lips. 'We can spend Christmas together.'

Kenneth narrowed his eyes. He knew Remus didn't want it like this. He wanted to spend Christmas with Sirius, probably sipping brandy in front of a warm blazing fire. But instead he got Kenneth, who was young and foolish and wanted him so much it was almost unreasonable. Kenneth was always second, always came second to Remus.

He thought for a bit. Considered his options carefully, what he could say needed to be well chosen. A question would help Remus. Remus loved to answer questions. He wanted to trapeze away from the disastrous root that this conversation would lead down and return so they could at least try and enjoy the Christmas they had been given.

'Do you want to spend Christmas with me?' he asked poignantly, looking at Remus through his lashes.

The older werewolf then did something that surprised Kenneth more than his outburst about Dumbledore. Remus stepped forward, completely unprompted by Kenneth who by this stage was feeling so ridiculous he wasn't quite sure what to feel, and wrapped his arms tightly around the younger werewolf, holding him very closely and kissing his neck. Kenneth all but collapsed into Remus's arms.

'I don't want,' he muttered, finding it hard to get the words out. All this built up pain and frustration he didn't even know he possessed was slowly leaking out. 'I don't want,' Kenneth managed it this time, 'I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do just for me. Please don't,' he added, clinging tightly to Remus's cloak.

'Are you feeling better?' whispered Remus, his lips moving softly against Kenneth's skin.

'I, uh, I suppose,' Kenneth stuttered lamely.

'Breathe,' Remus assured him, 'and just let it out. It happens sometimes.' He was speaking from experience; Kenneth understood that tone of his voice. 'You think you're in control of everything but then you aren't and in a split second you've said something you didn't even realise you thought.'

'Has it happened to you before?' asked Kenneth. 'Because it sucks and it makes me feel like an idiot.' It had been a typical werewolf like outburst, only on a smaller stage than Kenneth's previous ones.

'Sometimes,' Remus murmured. 'If I don't want to think about it, I just leave it and somehow it goes away but it always comes back when the wolf comes out.'

_He wants to think about Sirius dying,_ Kenneth thought and he blinked.

'What did I do to prompt that?' Remus said. 'I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you do that.'

'My fault,' said Kenneth, unaware that he's barely even speaking audibly. 'It should have been a completely normal conversation. It should have been like: "We're going to spend some time with our kind." "Yes, darling, that's splendid." It should have been like that.'

'There's Kenneth,' Remus said stroking his hair fondly. 'There's my Kenneth. That's better,' he murmured. 'You scared me. I didn't know how far you'd go.'

'I'm sorry,' Kenneth said dejectedly.

'It's fine,' Remus assured him. 'Fine, you have nothing to be sorry for. It's your first Christmas without family or friends.'

'Don't remind me,' Kenneth said, retracting away from him but only found that Remus pulled him back to him fiercely.

'You will have me tomorrow, we can spend Christmas together. And not at the Burrow either. In Hogsmeade, just us,' he said. He was being persistent, roles reversed. Kenneth was glad he didn't promise, or he'd buckle again. 'Then we'll go and do what we have to do with the others. Dumbledore has said we won't be there longer than two weeks. It's like what's happened with the vampires except, I hope it won't end in the same way or we'll just repeat ourselves to this point. Dumbledore also assured us that since he wants us safe, we can retire from the mission whenever we want. He doesn't want us to be in danger.'

'Why are we going so soon though?' Kenneth asked. 'I thought we had such a long time to wait, and now we have to go right away. It's a little worrying.'

'Don't worry about it then. Just pretend it's like the vampires except they'rewerewolves, they're more like us. So it is better. Just don't do what you did last time -' Remus sounded awkwardly adorable as he stuttered to get the words out and for them to make sense.

'Don't try to sleep with one of them?' Kenneth finished for him, smiling. 'I'd never! Not now at any rate. I have you. I don't need some stinky, smelly, hairy, perhaps even grotty werewolf when I have you.'

'You should be careful around them. A lot of them know me as someone who's tried to live on the outside, or inside, with the people. They know you're young, I've mentioned that both of us will be coming. They know you're young not just in the normal age way but always in werewolf years. You're basically only just older than a year to them. Some people half your age will be older than you there.'

'Why does that matter so much?' Kenneth asked dimly, just pleased that Remus cared enough about him to rattle on about his safety.

'Because, the others, they realise that I've been the only werewolf you've been around since you'd been bitten. You don't know any different than what I have taught you. It's always the same, I've heard them talk and tease about young werewolves and how they can be manipulated because of how little they know. They'll try it, Kenneth, because you're young, and,' Remus flushed, 'good looking.'

'Why didn't you take me when you went then?' Kenneth asked, feeling rather smug with all these words that boosted his ego being thrown at him. 'Then they'd know me by now.'

'I was meaning to,' said Remus, 'but we need to go soon so there really is not much point. It's a hard thing to get into one of these places,' Kenneth thought he was choosing his words carefully so he would not say the word community; Kenneth wanted to hear, 'they hardly trust anyone. Even for a werewolf it takes months to get inside and gain some of their trust. I still don't think they trust me.'

Kenneth nodded, accepting these words. He supposed he wouldn't really know until he was there. 'Won't it seem suspicious if we just kind of ... arrive after Boxing Day? You know, like right after a holiday so we've waited until it's over before starting our secret mission?'

Remus shrugged his shoulders slightly. 'If they have doubts we can tell them otherwise.' He looked over Kenneth's shoulder, his eyes only just being fleeting past, he leaned inviting towards the door of the Burrow. 'Back?' he asked.

'It's cold,' Kenneth agreed. He sighed in way of apology. 'I'm really sorry,' he muttered. 'I didn't mean to flip out.'

'I know,' Remus replied.

He did something that surprised Kenneth, even more so than the sweet way he'd been acting around him, he leaned upwards towards Kenneth's lips and kissed him. He kissed him quite strongly, parting Kenneth's lips with his tongue. He roped his fingers through Kenneth's and smiled wryly. 'Better?' he asked softly.

'Mm, rather,' replied Kenneth. 'Molly's noticed,' he added as Remus tugged him back towards the Burrow and to the warmth inside, not to mention the Egg-nog. 'She's been giving us strange looks all evening.'

'It won't be long until Harry starts questioning me,' said Remus looking down at his feet as they trudged across the snow back to the house.

'He knew about you and his,' Kenneth was reluctant to say the name, 'godfather, right?'

'Yes,' said Remus. 'And I doubt he's happy about this. He seems to think that love should last forever. I suppose he doesn't know you and when Sirius died he automatically started coming to me for things he'd talk to his godfather about. I don't think he likes you very much.'

'Well, you'd think not!' Kenneth snorted. 'I've taken Sirius's place. I don't fit Sirius's criteria either. I wasn't a convict, yet innocent prisoner, I never knew his father or mother, I wasn't in the original Order, I can only transform once a month and have no intention of being an Animagus, and I'm not as up myself as Sirius was.' Kenneth ticked these off on his fingers.

'Oh, Merlin!' Remus said indignantly and shoved Kenneth with his hip. 'Yes you are! You're just as egotistical as he was, if not more. You have your moments when you aren't but you are up yourself like him. And,' he said suddenly serious, 'you aren't his replacement. Never think you are, it's not fair. You aren't his replacement.'

'But Harry won't ever like me,' Kenneth said, resignedly.

'So, that's not a problem at all. It's not like you particularly like him anyway. Don't look at me like that Kenneth, I can tell you don't.'

'I'm part of the Order, what if I have to protect him once or something? He won't trust me in the slightest.'

'You're worked up from the wolf. Go have some more Egg-nog and take a few breathes. I'll make sure you won't have to protect him, besides he's quite capable of looking after himself. Shh!' Remus demanded when Kenneth opened his mouth again. 'Just be quiet, calm down, don't let wolf come out again or else I'll be dealing with you being all grumpy, moody not to mention being very reminiscent and worried. It's too much for me to handle. Make some jokes and be a bit rude to someone, you'll feel better.'

'Wise, wise words,' Kenneth said, rolling his eyes a little. 'Urgh, if you insist,' he groaned and clenched his hand tighter around Remus's who dragged him back off inside, only after they were sure the Minister and the other Weasley who had accompanied him had left.

* * *

The room was warm, stifling hot when Kenneth awoke. So hot he groaned and kicked the covers off himself. It took a second for him to relish in the refreshing, yet warm arm that lulled of his body. It took a second further for him to notice that he had been naked under the sheets and now was naked on the lone bed. Hurriedly with groggy movements however, he looked to the side of the bed that was far too small for him (he had thought of enlarging it but then there would be no space in the room). Remus wasn't beside him or on the floor for that matter. And he was in the squint room which he had adopted as his own.

He remembered, with a blush, what he'd said when he and Remus had trekked outside to talk. It had been embarrassing when he looked back on it. What he'd said was stupid and the burst of wolf had been too. But when Kenneth often looked back on the things he'd done and said he found them stupid and thought of the things he should have said.

He definitely should have said: "Right, you're being all valiant so let's go back to Hogsmeade and fuck." Remus would have stuttered but Kenneth would have puffed out his chest and tried to look more buff than he really was, and repeat. "We are going to fuck." He would have said it with a strangled emphasis on the last word, the important one. He wouldn't have apologised for it either, because it would have been _great_. He would have buried his face in Remus's and taken deep long gulps of that chocolate scent that radiated from him, and he would have forced Remus not to smell Sirius on him. Remus would smell Kenneth.

But of course not! No it would never happen if Kenneth woke up every morning and imagined himself all manly and buff saying things he'd probably never say if a discussion like that were to come around. He'd only joke about it, foolishly too and Remus wouldn't take him seriously.

His door clicked open and he struggled for a second, flinging himself over the edge of the bed to grab the sheets and yank them over himself. He was certain that the over picture when Remus entered the room was very suspicious. Kenneth was leaning against his pillows, flushed and trying to act coolly casual. Remus had probably been treated to a brief glimpse of his bare arse too as he flipped back against the pillows.

'Wasn't wanking,' Kenneth said fiercely, ready to bark and glare at Remus if he suggested otherwise.

'Never said you were,' said Remus. He seemed a bit groggy himself and Kenneth would remember he too had perhaps indulged a little too much in wine and whisky. 'Uh, Happy Christmas,' he said smiling.

Kenneth was just in range to grab his hand. He pulled Remus down onto bed with him. 'Happy Christmas,' he murmured in reply. Their lips met, only for a second. 'Um,' Kenneth was blushing, 'I got you something.' He sat up in the bed, suppressing a shudder when Remus's hand trailed down the skin of his back. After feeling for his wand on the side of his bed, he summoned Remus's gift to him, something that had been purchased in haste during his last visit to Diagon Alley.

Taking the gift from his hands, Remus didn't meet Kenneth's eyes; he just stared smiling lightly as his fingers toyed with the edges on sides of the brown paper that wrapped it.

'For Merlin's sake,' quipped Kenneth, 'if you don't open it I will.' He eyed Remus a bit and then looked back down at the present, his hands moving to rip away the brown paper. But Remus swatted him away. 'Well, hurry up then!'

'I'm just taking a moment to admire your handicraft,' murmured Remus with sleepy amusement. Kenneth had really done an atrocious job on this, the cello tape holding it together had been mushed over the edges of the paper. He didn't care for wrapping, it was what was on the inside that mattered, and he didn't bother with cards either. 'It's rather well done!' teased Remus.

'Shut up and open it, or I'll keep it for myself. It's quite nice, you know.'

Remus shrugged and with one rip from his adroit, slim fingers, the fabric inside were already spilling out over his lip. A small thin, gasp escaped his lips as he discarded the fabric and touched his fingers to the cloak. It was a burgundy red, more red than purple. Not the bright striking red of Gryffindor, Kenneth knew, but Remus wouldn't want to toss around in an overly bright cloak.

'You shouldn't have,' Remus whispered.

Anticipating this, Kenneth already had a response. 'Uh yeah, I should have,' Kenneth replied. 'You needed a new one have you seen your old one? It's practically falling apart.'

'Gryffindor colours,' Remus mused softly, holding the cloak to his cheek. 'You know,' he added, 'I think you would have been in Gryffindor. Or Slytherin. None of the other houses would have suited you apart from those two. Gryffindor, probably, though wit aplenty for Slytherin.'

Kenneth shook his head. 'Not so fond of snakes, they make me a bit squeamish.'

'House of the Lion then,' said Remus appreciatively. 'You would have been in my house.'

'Maybe even your old bed,' Kenneth repeated indolently. He licked his lips appreciatively at the thought. Remus laughed at him. 'Don't laugh! I'm serious!'

'Thank you,' Remus whispered, brushing off the other words spoken to him.

'You're welcome,' Kenneth replied, cheerily. 'You know,' he added, murmuring these words, 'we've known each for nearly a year now.'

'And what a year it has been.' Remus sighed and tipped his head to one side, with a sleepy, content smile on his face. 'It's almost like an anniversary.'

'You mean I had to get you a Christmas present and an anniversary present too?' Kenneth asked in mock horror, growling as Remus slapped him lightly over the head.

'Cheeky,' he murmured and gave Kenneth a shove that pushed him back against the bed; he bounced against the mattress from the force of it. And in a split second, Remus was kneeling over Kenneth, his hands on his shoulders pinning him down.

With a dry mouth, Kenneth licked his lips. He felt trapped beneath Remus's slim frame and weight, and Merlin he loved it. Remus's breath cracking against his throat as the werewolf breathed under his ear, stuttering, hitching. Kenneth finally found his courage and stared up at Remus, his eyes unmoving against Remus's flickering, moving ones. He doesn't have any idea how long it has been since Remus has done this, but he then, remembering Sirius, he decided not to think about it. Instead he concentrated on the light weight over him. Lightly, Kenneth was pressing his luck and he knew it, he arched his hips up into Remus's, grinding. Like he thought would happen, Remus's breathing seemed to stop completely as he comprehended what had happened and his eyes jolted nervously to meet Kenneth's. Kenneth did nothing to assure or change the blatantly sexual move he'd made and stared in Remus's bright, almost coppery eyes. His smile helped though. A soft smile, tickling the corners of his mouth to arch, it made Remus's harsh, nearly worried expression droop.

It was a like a first kiss, the next one they shared. Remus started it. It was a move that made Kenneth glad as he didn't want to have to end up doing everything himself.

Their lips touched so briefly, Kenneth couldn't even feel the contact. When he pulled back, Remus pushed himself right against him. Kenneth wrapped his arms right around his back, moaning a little. There was a tight feeling in his stomach, like he was about to burst. But he wasn't about to burst because of how hard he was getting, it was that tight feeling he felt when he thought he couldn't be more overwhelmed in someone's presence or was simply totally heads over heels in love.

'I,' gulped Kenneth. 'Uh, I'm glad you like your present.'

Remus nodded sharply, a quick few jabs of his head. 'I did,' he murmured. 'I got you something.' He was about to rise up of Kenneth, who refused this movement and tightened his arms around him.

'No, it's ok,' said Kenneth. 'Stay here!' He pressed his lips against Remus's again, and groaned when he ran his tongue along Remus's lower lip. Remus opened his lips allowing Kenneth inside his mouth, with a little moan of his own.

'If you insist,' Remus groaned.

Just as Kenneth's hand snaked up his shirt, a tap at the window frightened him. It wasn't even his window; there weren't any windows in his tiny room. Remus looked towards the open door with a frown. They both knew that sound to be the ignorant, annoying beak of an owl, ever needy for attention. And they both knew that owls wouldn't go away in any time.

'Going to ignore it,' Kenneth said softly. Remus writhed above his fingers as he ran them along his flat stomach. Kenneth stopped with an angry sigh as the owl tapped another five times on the window from the other rude. 'Bloody rude,' he grimaced. 'Doesn't this owl have any manors?' He licked Remus's neck and he shuddered.

'Probably from Molly,' suggested Remus, eyes closed as Kenneth's hands travelled lower, tugging at his pants.

'Makes sense,' said Kenneth. 'So persistent, won't leave us alone.'

Remus fidgeted away from Kenneth and kissed his head, then lips, making it up for it. 'Probably should get it. Molly must have sent food.'

'Breakfast!' Kenneth exclaimed, watching Remus slide of the bed, blinking nearly tearfully. He'd of rather had the werewolf for breakfast. 'Come back quickly,' he said softly.

He quickly leaned back against the pillows, chewing on his bottom lip hoping he didn't peel skin like he did so often when he bit his lip. He wanted them soft and sweet for Remus.

* * *

Thanks for reading!  
Please be a legend and leave me a **_review_**! They are practically my life source as a writer!


	22. Topboy

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Unleashed  
Chatper Title: Topboy

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.  
**Notes:** Thanks to my glorius Beta read; Bad Wolf 42! You have done and continue to do such a great job. I love you!

**Thanks to everyone who reviews! I love all of you. Keep it up. It makes me outrageously happy!**

* * *

Fingering the soft chain around his neck, Kenneth glared down at his belongings that he was kicking into his small duffle bag. Enough for a month, enough for a month, it had to be, things could be washed. Plus the first aid kit. Packing for something that was set in stone but wasn't entirely seemed almost pointless. It confused him.

Yes, they were going to the werewolves but the assumption they'd stay for several months was more than vague. It was a stab in the dark. Kenneth was sure Dumbledore had found himself floundered, and Kenneth and Remus were forced to go early. Things must be moving far too quickly for the headmaster's liking. Kenneth had suddenly (it definitely hadn't taken long) started to develop a great deal of mistrust in Dumbledore. He didn't want to believe what the old coot was telling them but he also wanted to do his missions. There were things Dumbledore wouldn't be telling the Order and while Kenneth was generally ok with being left in the dark, he didn't feel so good about this.

'Kenneth,' said Remus, allowing himself back into the room for the first time since he'd left to retrieve the parcel from the owl. They were leaving pretty much first thing next morning; Remus had reminded him of that after an almost pathetic Christmas Dinner.

After dinner, Kenneth had gone off in something of a sulk. It was pathetic but it was hard to be away from his parents at Christmas, he'd grown so used to the routine of it being that way. Now he'd missed out on two Christmases with his parents without even so much as a word exchanged. It was shameful on both their parts. Kenneth was being stupid and ridiculous that he hadn't sent them word (he felt that he shouldn't. It had never been his job to keep up correspondence before) and they hadn't even bothered or perhaps wanted to send him an owl. He was sulky and dejected the rest of the evening, slinking around his room and retrieving the clothes he wanted for the trip.

'Yes?' Kenneth said bitterly in response.

With a wave of his wand his bag zipped itself shut and flew onto his bed. He was ready to go in the morning. He placed his wand hand on his hip and looked at the other werewolf. Remus's smell was pushing into his mind but he tried to concentrate on staying moody, sulky and irritated and not fall at Remus's feet in a bundle and just beg for him to love him. The deep chocolate scent had almost overwhelmed before Remus started speaking again.

'Are you ok?' he asked tenderly and Kenneth's shoulders slumped with the sweetness of the words and tone.

'Christmas,' he murmured, toying with his sleeve. 'Haven't spent it with my parents this time. I always do.'

'You didn't last Christmas,' Remus reminded him.

'I didn't care last year much,' Kenneth said. 'I was still wallowing in self pity at that stage. It didn't bother me as much as it does now.'

'Send them an owl,' Remus suggested. 'I'm sure if you break the ice, things will go back to normal between you.'

Kenneth shook his head. 'Mum's too proud. She's gone this long without speaking to me, because I'm disgusting and not human,' he wanted to spit out those words yet they just came out in the slow tone he was speaking in, 'she won't respond even if I do. She hates things like us, Rem,' he muttered. 'She really does. And dad won't understand. He's a Muggle; he never really understood magic and likes to think that it just stops with spells and wands.'

'I thought I got those ideas out of your head a long time ago,' said Remus softly. He stepped forward to Kenneth, brushed past him and sat down on the bed, running his hand along Kenneth's back who was still standing. 'We aren't disgusting, and we aren't things. You should know by now that it doesn't do any good to think like that. Come here,' he said suddenly and when Kenneth looked behind him, Remus was sitting in the cloak he'd given him, holding his arms out.

With a soft smile, Kenneth sat down on the bed beside him. 'Don't you look all fetching and handsome in your new glad rags?'

'Finest quality,' said Remus. 'I had a proper look at them before dinner. Most have cost half a small fortune.'

'I wanted to get you something nice, and something you needed at the same time. Otherwise you'd go all noble on me and would probably refuse them,' Kenneth laughed. 'This,' he added touching the chain around his neck. It was silver and thin, and it didn't even feel like metal, 'is beautiful.'

'I thought you might not be all that up to anything this Christmas so I got something special for you,' he said it quietly and Kenneth tried to shove the thought that if he hadn't been given this Sirius would have been out of his mind.

'Well, thank you,' Kenneth said. 'It's pretty. I love it.' He looked at Remus and smiled. 'I love you,' he added.

Remus stroked his cheek, smiling gently.

Kenneth was silent for a while. 'Do you miss Sirius?' he asked suddenly.

He felt Remus's hand freeze on his cheek, then heard the shake of hair. 'Don't shove yourself further into self pity by asking me that,' was his answer. 'Just enjoy Christmas as much as possible.'

Kenneth sighed jaunted; he knew exactly what Remus's remark had meant. 'Been a little depressing. It's all different. But what I like best and probably the only good thing about this Christmas is that you're here.'

'I wouldn't be anywhere else.'

* * *

Dead leaves scattering about his feet, billowing haphazardly up every time Kenneth even thought about taking a step forward. Not that he really wanted to take a step forward in the first place. The landing from the Portkey had been tricking, he'd stumbled on his feet after landing on a tree root and had taken a step forward only to scuff along another tree root. The sun hadn't yet risen but golden hues spread across the grass that was fresh and green, glisten with dew in some places but at the base of a withered, half dead looking tree, in the direction they were heading it was stamped down and muddy.

Behind them (they had walked a scant distance to just keep walking) was an assortment of oddly paired trees like the woody, rock piece of forest wasn't just one distinct type of tree but instead a whole lot mashed together by some indecisive artist. There had been clean undisturbed grass when they had started walking after being rudely abandoned by the Portkey. Kenneth wasn't surprise they were heading towards the trampled area.

It set the scene, it really did. Kenneth could feel his heart pounding away in his chest and from the way Remus keep glancing sideways at him, he was fairly certain that he could hear it too. Remus was several steps in front of him by now as Kenneth had slowed when the neared the base of the dying tree and the semi circle of grassless dirt before it. The older werewolf stuck his hand rigidly out behind him and Kenneth didn't think twice before grasping it tightly and twining his fingers through Remus's. He couldn't tell if it calmed him or just made him more nervous that Remus thought he needed some comfort. He shrugged silently to himself wanting to give himself a smack around the head for getting nervous when Remus wasn't at all.

Suddenly, just as they stopped on the undefined rim where dirt began and grass ended, he could smell it. His nose twitched, rather adorably he would have thought, if he'd been able to see it. A deep musky kind of smell that seemed to be radiating up from the ground below them. It was musky, like old mothballs and with a twinge of what definitely smelt like wet dog – he'd smelt it on Sirius plenty of times when the man had just come out of the shower had yet to disguise his smell. He found himself leaning forward trying to crane his ear closer to the mud without actually lying in it. He swore he could hear the muffled noise of footsteps, and voices. He frowned; their spells weren't very good at hiding this at all.

'Oh, they are clever,' Kenneth drawled when Remus grinned at him, happy he didn't have to explain this whole thing. He tapped his foot on the mud. 'They must think they are absolute geniuses. But their spells are rubbish,' he added idly.

'There's a spell so humans can't hear,' Remus said with a smile as he let go of Kenneth's hand and pulled out his hand. 'You can hear and smell it because you're meant to. It's supposed to lure us in.'

Kenneth frowned. 'I just thought it smelt really bad. Like Sirius after he got out of the shower or something. Hosed down in the backyard, the family dog was outside in the rain because it was naughty kind of smell.' He waved his fingers around his noise but caught Remus's eyes and shut up promptly. 'I'm sorry,' he whispered, hanging his head like he was now that naughty dog.

'You're right,' mused Remus, 'he did smell like wet dog. More than I ever did, which is strange if you think about it.' He smiled wistfully.

'But you've always smelt like chocolate,' Kenneth said indignantly. He reached out to touch Remus's cheek, across the gap that had grown between them. 'Never anything else, always chocolate, I swear you do. Chocolate's better than wet dog.' He made a face. 'You never came back smelling like wet dog when you came here. There's hope for all of us I guess.'

'If it is any consolation,' Remus said, 'you have never smelt like wet dog before.'

'Not even when you kept thinking I smelt like Sirius?' Kenneth asked, nearly pointing his finger sharply at Remus.

Remus shook his head. 'No,' he murmured. 'You don't smell like Sirius to me anymore,' he added. 'You just smell like Kenneth.'

'Funny that.' He smiled dreamily at Remus, forgetting himself for a minute before clapping his hands together sharply, remembering what lay almost directly below them. 'Uh, it is underground right?'

Smiling, Remus nodded. 'Of course. The Ministry would have multiple seizures if this was out in the open, more so if they even knew about it.'

'They don't know?' Kenneth asked his jaw dropping. Somehow he'd imagined that they'd have inkling or there'd be some kind of agreement between those who stayed here and the Ministry. Remus was eyeing him with a puzzled expression. Kenneth rubbed the back of his neck. 'I just thought that ... you know ...'

'Merlin knows what you think,' Remus said lightly, fiddling with his wand in his hand.

'You probably wouldn't want to know the half of it,' said Kenneth. 'So, uh, how do you ... open up the gaping hole in the earth?'

Remus pointed his wand modestly at the line between the grass and dirt and spoke a spell that sounded oddly strangled and choked. He jumped back the second the ground started to rumble and shake beneath his feet, and he was right in doing so. The earth cracked beneath his feet and one slab jutted downwards and the other rose upwards to form a, Kenneth definitely thought of it was a gateway to another world.

Inside was a tunnel that stretched on for only a few feet, stopping and turning a corner. All of it was completely made out of dirt and some stone junctures keeping the walls from caving in on the passages created. There was a light every couple of metres though Kenneth figured most that walked these tunnels wouldn't need it at all. He wrinkled his nose, he didn't know what he'd been expecting the amount of dirt and dampness was off putting. He stopped these thoughts in a snap second as he heard soft footsteps padding from the depths of the tunnel coming closer towards them. The smell of wet dog and the sounds of murmured voices had already increased with the opening in the earth, but Kenneth pushed them aside as he'd learnt to do and focused on the sound of those coming towards them.

It was two werewolves, and even though they were not in sight when the first spoke, Kenneth could hear clearly. 'It's got to be that bloody Remus Lupin back again. Maybe this time he's finally decided to step away from the Normals and stay here for a good long time. I wonder if he's brought that youngster his mouth's always flapping about this time.'

'You mean his boy?' the other asked. Kenneth was surprised to hear that the voice was distinctly female and very high strung, almost squeaky.

'Is he really his boy?' the first werewolf asked. 'I can't remember his name, can't recall if Remus ever said it but he didn't say anything about him being his boy. D'you think they've bonded?'

'Eh,' was the reply before a more detailed one came, 'become pack-mates maybe, you know how easy it is for a young wolf ta do that, just a mere look at another werewolf and their pack-mates. But bonded? I don't reckon so.'

'Why not? Young werewolf, young age as well, supposed to be good looking, any of you ladies would have bonded with him in a second.'

'A great number of you blokes too, I imagine,' the female almost snarled it in reply. 'Oi, we should stop talking. Just 'cause they been living up with them Normals for so long doesn't mean that they've lost their senses. Remus's boy has probably heard everything we've just said. That's the problem with them youngsters. They can hear everything and anything, smell it too, if it's in range.'

They came into sight around the corner, the two of them, shaggier than he had ever seen before. He grimaced to himself, knowing that however long he stayed here he'd have to deal with more than five dogs put together and on one werewolf too. At least he could count on Remus to keep neatly trimmed. Kenneth silently promised himself then and there that he'd make sure he wouldn't end up looking like an actual wolf when he left the underground den.

The male werewolf, the one who'd been speaking first, was short, blonde haired - though it looked so dirty and unwashed it was hard to tell. He was short and almost chubby, well fed was probably the better word. Kenneth realised with a start that under the purple, plum cloak he wore, he was naked as a leg had sneaked out from under the folds as he walked. Kenneth chewed his lip. The man was ridden with scars too. He was like a noughts and crosses board with scarring everywhere on him.

It would be harder to fit in them he'd ever imagined. He was well groomed, relatively despite his shaggy hair and didn't enjoy getting dirty without having a good clean afterwards and he didn't have many scars, he was relatively untouched. Remus felt the same way, he was sure.

The female though, was naked under her cloak as well, but she had long silver hair past her waist. It was tied up, or more like yanked up without care, in a ponytail and wafted uselessly behind her as he walked. She wasn't exactly pretty, nor was she absolutely heinous to look at. She walked with the air of someone very important about her and Kenneth immediately thought she was probably Greyback's "girl" or something.

It was a sickening thought that they regarded people in such ways. That youngsters, like him, were often needed to have ... he didn't know what they'd be called, but that youngsters were expected to be another werewolf's boy or another's girl. It must figure into the age of the wolf rather than the age of the person themselves. Kenneth hoped that since he was not Remus's boy, their relationship was equal; he wouldn't be forced into it by anyone. Not that he let them do that to him, but it was possible he could be strained into it. Certainty that Remus would suggest it for their safety if it was necessary struck him. And he felt better for it.

Both had stopped in front of them and were eyeing them with suppressed words, Kenneth could see the females nose twitching and she breathed in their scent. It was more doglike and animalistic than Kenneth could have ever thought.

'You're back again then?' the girl asked, though know Kenneth could see she was a great deal older than she looked and her hair, if not already that colour would be so soon. 'Thought you wouldn't come back for a while after all your impromptu visits.'

'Finally brought the youngster then?' the man asked, glancing at Kenneth who gave a tweak of a smile.

'Have you lot decided to stay for once then, hmm? We even got a place laid out for you, Lupin. One of the others insisted on it. She reckoned you would decide ta stay for a good long time now. Come ta rid yourself of the ways of the Normals, eh? You know, you look far too comfortable with all your stuff and them clothes too. Not a speck 'a dirt on you, I'd reckon.' She sniffed, laughing.

'There was a bet on it too, how long it'd take before you decided to stay here. You're a bit transparent, Mr Lupin,' the man said with a toothy grin.

'Yes,' Remus said, ignoring the last comment. 'We have chosen to stay for some time, see if we like it.'

'Oh, you'll like it,' the man murmured proudly, puffing out his chest even. 'All of us do like it. Life down here is much easier than life up there with the Normals.'

'There ain't much room at the time being, we're working on expanding the dens but there've been arguments 'bout which way it should go, ended pretty bloody too. So you and your boy will have to bunk up ta'gether for the time being. Though I don't reckon you'd mind much.' The girl tugged her hair lazily and eyed them both.

'I'm not his boy,' Kenneth said.

'Quit yapping.'

Remus touched his shoulder quietly as the two werewolves turned away with a light signal for them to follow. 'It is best not to talk back to her, Eloisa. She's quite close to Greyback. It's lucky Greyback doesn't listen to her though or else I probably would have been butchered by now.' He smiled at Kenneth and nudged him forward. 'It's not as bad as it looks, trust me.'

'What's all this stuff about being someone's "boy"?' Kenneth asked, furiously hiding his want to clasp Remus's hand. The tunnel through which they walked to enter the main parts of the den, Kenneth assumed, was damp and packed hard with bricks.

'Younger werewolves generally take on some kind of role model, an older werewolf, to teach them what it's like. But overtime I supposed that warped into meaning something sexual. Now when a young werewolf takes on a role model it nearly always implies something sexual or sex driven, especially here.' Remus smiled lightly. 'They think that you're my boy.'

'Well, I'm not,' Kenneth said crossly, raising his nose higher just to distinguish the height difference between him and Remus, for his own satisfaction.

'It might be a good idea if you pretended to be, less questions asked.'

'You just want to do me!' Kenneth exclaimed.

He quietened down in an instant when he noted the company they were in and chose to speak quietly. 'It's obvious,' he whispered fiercely. He was beaming as he spoke and Remus had choked over whatever he was going to say next, probably some long winded explanation of why it would be a good reason for Kenneth to go along with it. 'You just want to get inside my pants! Our little grope seasons on Christmas wasn't enough for you,' he murmured in glee. 'I'll tell you what,' he said, leaning close to Remus and speaking into his ear, 'it wasn't nearly enough for me.'

'I,' much to Kenneth's delight Remus was stuttering over his words. He shrugged his shoulders. 'Sometimes you say too much,' he determined.

He took Remus's hand, squeezing gently. 'Or just too much too soon?' he wondered out loud.

Was it too much for Remus to take in, having Kenneth want him badly, when Sirius had only been one less than half a year? Sure to Kenneth it seemed a long time but he still possessed that young naivety. He thought that a year was a long time, he was still so young. It boggled him that he'd been with, if not together, with Remus for a whole year. Christmas to Christmas. It seemed intense. To him, a year was such a great expanse of time during which anything could be done, anything could be conquered, but to Remus it was probably nothing.

He, himself, hadn't really been deeply head over heels in love with anyone, until Remus. But wondering about that he realised the height of his love for the other werewolf was still approaching.

But then that was the frightening thing about this impending war. How much time was there?

Remus was looking at him, puzzled, as if he hadn't ever expected Kenneth to be so aware. There was a light dip of his head and Remus said, 'I still think about him a lot,' he was whispering not just because of where they were (which seemed to be all but forgotten with the type of conversation and the need to have it) and from the weight of the words. 'I do like you, maybe more, I feel deeply for you,' the werewolf said, 'but he was really the first person I loved properly.'

'I'm glad you talk to me about it,' Kenneth said truthfully.

'I'm glad you listen and want to listen,' said Remus. He looked at him with a perplexed expression on his face. 'I don't know if you're really quite patient, deep down or that you really-'

Kenneth interrupted, wanting to say it himself. 'I really love you.' He smiled when Remus flushed. 'Do you know who and Sirius used to remind me of?' He wanted to rephrase his words who and Sirius used to remind me of?' He wanted to rephrase his words, and say still remind me of.

Remus shook his head.

'Hephaistion and Alexander the Great,' Kenneth said, almost proudly but one look at Remus's confused and clouded eyes and knew that Remus hadn't the faintest idea who those two were. 'Alexander the Great?' he tried again. 'Have you never heard of him?'

'No.' Remus was watching where they were walking rather than Kenneth's face.

'I'll tell you all about them later once we get to the place "they've allocated" us.'

'It's going to be strange down here,' Remus warned him quickly. 'But I think you already know.'

* * *

The place in which they had been told to drop their things was a decent distance from the other werewolves sleeping places, right at the end of a tunnel that had jutted away from the main one. The end of the tunnel where the digging was meant to be occurring but the project had a standstill over it because of bloodshed over the matter.

Kenneth resigned himself to thinking that it was rather nice. Complaining would do him no good; he wasn't going to be offered any better sleeping places. And it was nice, apart from the mud, dampness and the fact it was open to whoever trekked down the end of the tunnel.

It, their little room, was set back in the muddy, earthen wall. It was packed along the sides with bricks to keep it was becoming a festering, rotting place and to stop it collapsing in on itself. Bricks were packed into the rectangular space that went back quite some space in the ground. Every part of the floor was covered with bricks, the ceiling and the floor too. It would keep their belongings clean, Kenneth decided bitterly. It wasn't the nicest place but Remus actually looked content. There was a huge double bed at the far end of the room that was more like a cavity in the wall; it was almost right at the back of the bricked space. It seemed to almost be shrouded in darkness.

Remus looked at him sidelong once their escorts had left them and offered a smile. 'Not exactly luxury,' he said. He hosted a wide smile. Kenneth could see that his words about Sirius had livened him up and caused him to realise that Kenneth was serious about how much he cared for him.

'Since when have you ever known luxury?' asked Kenneth as he trotted across the room, his feet letting out a pompous noise as they hit the bricks. 'We'll be able to enlarge that bed,' he murmured. 'Maybe even transfigure another one.'

'I meant that you looked little uncomfortable here,' Remus said.

'It's not about this,' Kenneth assured him. 'The place isn't that bad. It's kind of pirate like and almost like a treasure cove. I'll get used to not being able to get away from the mud; it shouldn't really be that bad.'

'What is it about then?' enquired Remus. 'Unless I've mistaken that look on your face.'

'You know me too well,' Kenneth said. 'Since you'll figure it out for yourself anyway and I've never been one to keep things to myself – I'm a little worried,' he said and was surprised it came out so easily. 'Just a little worried about what might happen here, that's all.'

'You'll be fine,' Remus said. 'If you pretend to be my "boy", you'll be doubly safe. They won't touch you if you do. It's an unspoken rule and they'll leave you alone.'

Kenneth perked. 'I knew you'd say that eventually!' He grinned, feeling better for his correct opinion. 'But would they really?' he asked.

'Possibly,' was the reply. 'They won't touch you or do anything along those lines, but they will still speak to you.'

'I wasn't really trying to socially outcast myself. I'd probably explode if I had no one to talk to. I can deal with conversation,' Kenneth said with a nod.

He flopped back on the bed he could feel behind him, delighting in the flicker in Remus's eyes. The bed was basically invisible unless you'd scouted it out beforehand and Remus mustn't have been able to see until Kenneth hit it. 'Conversation is fine. If I wasn't your "boy",' he said, adding hand gestures where appropriate, 'would they try and do things?' He was vague but he hoped Remus understood the type of answer he wanted yet even if the older werewolf didn't, he'd give Kenneth an answer worthy of a highly trained scholar.

'Try things?' Remus asked lightly, scratching his chin.

Kenneth realised, again, that he looked content, nearly comfortable in this place. He didn't feel like pondering this at the moment, as he was eager to hear Remus's response.

'In all possibilities, yes, if you weren't pretending to be my "boy" then definitely. Many will try and win you over anyway, I'd imagine, despite what they know of you and I. You've only been taught how to cope by me and I'm not exactly like them. I try to live on the outside, and you've continued to stay there. They'll want to ... educate you in their ways. It's too late for me, I'm old, and however, you are only a year old. You can be easily manipulated; you don't know everything there is to know about being a werewolf. Sometimes the only way you can learn is through experience.'

Kenneth loved the way Remus answered questions. He answered and then answered any questions Kenneth may have about his answer.

'They will only try and touch you if you invite them to do so,' said Remus sincerely.

'I won't,' Kenneth said. 'I made a promise that we wouldn't have an Antony like situation again.'

'Don't be so sure,' Remus said. 'You have yet to met Ralph or see Ruthie yet.'

'And what's so special about them?' asked Kenneth with a sigh as he reclined back into the surprisingly comfortable bed.

Remus smiled softly before he answered, 'Ralph is not up to Antonius's standard but he's very personable and sweet yet he's like the others and has some really disgusting habits that you'll see more of very soon. Ruthie is horrid, a horrible person through and through. From what I've heard, she allowed herself to be bitten; she put herself in the very position that allowed it.'

'I never knew that you were one for the gossip, Mr Lupin,' Kenneth commented at the excited pace Remus's voice had picked up when he said that.

The older werewolf shrugged this off. 'She's worse than the others. She's vile, even but she's very beautiful regardless of all of that.'

Kenneth shook his head, seriously. 'I have you,' he said, 'beautiful and not rude or vile.'

'But I haven't given you anything in return,' Remus said and Kenneth heard the sorrow in his voice easily. 'I would understand if you wanted something on the side.'

'Something on the side?' Kenneth asked, sitting up as he growled his disapproval at these words. 'Don't be so stupid!'

Remus looked away with what Kenneth could only describe as a touched expression across his face. His fingertips grazed over the brick wall. 'Umm,' he murmured. 'I wanted to thank you for what you said earlier, when we first came in, about Sirius,' he added like Kenneth would have had a hard time remembering that. 'It's something to know that you'll wait for me.'

Kenneth flushed and turned away. 'Hah,' he managed. 'Yes.'

'Alexander and Hephaistion?' asked Remus, he was smiling profoundly now.

'I cannot believe you have never heard of Alexander the Great!' exclaimed Kenneth. 'You're half-blood, aren't you? Didn't you ever study History at school before Hogwarts?'

'I spent most of my time at Hogwarts, more than what I spent at home and I never went to a school before Hogwarts. I was too drained after each full moon to pick myself up back off my feet and go back to school the next day. My parents tried it for a while but it never seemed to sit well with me.'

'I didn't know that,' Kenneth murmured. 'Believe me!' he said, 'you didn't miss out on anything at all. Primary school is such a drag. But Alexander and Hephaistion were lovers. Alexander practically conquered the world, or as much of it was known back then. My father was obsessed with Alexander the Great and his achievements. I was obsessed with Alexander and Hephaistion. They were the greatest lovers, apparently.'

'You used to compare Sirius and me to them?' Remus asked looking almost touched.

'A few times,' Kenneth said. 'You seemed a lot like them.'

'Which one was I?'

'Alexander,' said Kenneth without fail. 'I used to think you were more like Hephaistion and that you grounded Sirius but when Sirius died, you had to be more like Alexander.'

'Why?' asked Remus.

'Hephaistion died first and young too.'

That evening, Remus persuaded Kenneth to join the other werewolves. Kenneth obliged, quite happily at that stage. He was unnerved about them but wanted to have a feel for what it was like. Remus told him that it would be very different from anything he'd ever experienced before and he shouldn't let his feelings about what he saw get to him at all. It was a mystery to Kenneth why it would be so bad, but he trusted Remus's judgement as he'd been here before and knew what it was all about. He had yet only met the two other werewolves, the two that had let them inside the den.

He'd hardly glimpsed any others even when taking the long walk through the tunnels to their pit like room. It wasn't an issue for him; Kenneth didn't mind not seeing any others. He knew he'd have to see them in the end but the longer it was put off for and the longer he was able to go without, the safer he'd feel. He decided, giving a great deal of valance and heroism to Remus, that he'd be completely safe around the older werewolf.

'Don't start getting your hopes up,' Remus had told him seriously. 'It won't be anything like your werewolf community dream, I'm afraid.'

Kenneth hadn't wanted to think of that just yet anyway. He didn't like the look of the place and didn't fancy spending the rest of his life underground because of what he was. Prejudice against werewolves was intense; he'd never really experience any other kind of prejudice before and had found the best response to it was what these werewolves had done, retreat underground. But they, he was sure, along with You-Know-Who's new reinstated power, were starting a revolt. That was just what they were down here to try and stop a revolt. Kenneth didn't even know in the slightest how they would stop something like at as it seemed for along from what Remus had told him.

Remus stayed close to him the entire time they padded softly through the tunnels. Remus seemed to know exactly where he was going but if Kenneth had been on his own, it wouldn't have been a problem anyway; he could smell and hear them. Squawks of laughter and the deep, stinging, tangy smell of blood reached his senses and he nearly blanched. The smell of fresh blood was so strong in his nostrils, that he had to grab Remus's arm to steady himself.

'You might not like what you see,' warned Remus in the tiniest of whispers.

The next corner they rounded led them to a large circular room packed with bricks, of a different colour than the reddish ones elsewhere in the den. These bricks were a creamy light brown colour and most of them were decorated with splashes of red blood. Candles where holstered against these bricks and burnt a bright yellow that flittered across the walls in the room. There was the brazen blue wand light emitting from the room as well, but not much of that. The floor was tiled too, but in a darker colour than that of the walls. Kenneth was glad for the dark cloak he'd opted to wear as he'd be able to blend into the floor and for once was also thankful for his dark hair and eyes.

The werewolves were all sitting around a table in the centre of the room. The table was low to the floor like a Japanese arrangement and they didn't sit on chairs around the table, making it more so. There was a hush in the words the minute he and Remus stepped into the room. All shaggy heads turned to face them, some with blood smeared around their lips. Kenneth frowned and pulled his eyes away from the bloodied lips. He caught a glimpse of what was on the table as he peered past a few of their number. It was raw meat, very raw uncooked meat with blood and guts from the animal spilling out across the table.

'Come sit, Remus!' one of them called, and leaped from his seat on the floor, hurrying forward to Remus. His eyes stopped on Kenneth for a brief moment and he smiled. 'You've finally brought the youngster, then?' He clapped Remus heartily on the back like one would do after a well won Quidditch match. 'It took you long enough. You're both welcome! I'll introduce you both.'

'Kenneth,' Kenneth said quickly to the werewolf who was wiping the blood on his face onto the sleeve of his cloak.

This, he figured, must be the Ralph Remus was talking about. He wasn't handsome, the large eyes and the squinty eyes ruined what might have been good looks. And apart from the dotted blood on his face, he wasn't that bad to look at. He, like the werewolves who met them at the entrance, was wearing a cloak and nothing underneath, showing his scared chest and hairy body like he was infinitely proud of them.

Ralph ignored him and turned to Remus with snarky, smile across his face that didn't at all help his looks. 'Well done, Remus!' he said and slapped him on the back again. Remus only offered a weak smile in response. 'For all those who don't know!' he said stamping a foot heavily on the ground to recapture attention he'd never really lost. 'This here is Remus and Kenneth, newcomers. Well, sort of. Come sit!' he said and moved back over to his place. He sat down and roughly pushed the man next to him further along, making space for both Remus and Kenneth.

Kenneth found when he sat down that there were beautifully decorated cushions that they sat on around the table. His was a dark blue silken colour and was stitched with stunning needlework yet; unfortunately, it had suffered many years being here and was worn and ruined. He sat down nonetheless and leaned back on his palms, holding himself in an upright position. It was a comfort when Remus's hand brushed his softly.

A plate of meat was pushed into his lap and a goblet of wine into his hands. Kenneth tried not to turn his noise up at the smell of the food. He pushed the plate onto the table and just stuck to the wine. At least that didn't smell putrid and have blood seeping out of it. The eating and drinking started almost immediately after their introduction and they were mostly left alone with the food in front of them being the werewolves' main priority.

They were motley crew, all of them. Not one was dressed in anything but a cloak to cover nakedness. All were shaggy, dirty and smelled terrible. Kenneth had had to block nearly all his senses to only what he wanted to smell and hear, if he didn't he would surely be gagging in the corner because of the stench. About thirty odd of them sat in the room, chatting, gurgling, and being generally rather gross.

Remus slipped right in and none of them gave him a second look, he supposed that they were used to him being here as he'd come often enough before. But a few eyes had slide over to Kenneth already, scoping him out and letting their eyes roll of his body. All genders did this but it seemed that only one werewolf at a time looked him over. Kenneth could only feel one pair of eyes on him at a time.

He lifted the goblet to his lips and easily took a sip, letting the burning liquid slide down his throat. It wasn't wine it was whisky and there was a lot of it in the goblet. Much more than the usual two fingers and Kenneth wondered whether he was expected or meant to drink the whole goblet.

'Is he ...?'

Kenneth heard the question and felt eyes upon him. He looked up from his goblet and saw the eyes of two women looking at him. One was the favourite of Greyback that had led them through the dens. The other was someone he'd never seen before.

'Nah!' Greyback's girl said loudly. 'He ain't free. Can't you tell that he's with Remus? Ain't it obvious? He's his boy. You can try lovely, but you won't get anywhere unless the boy wants it 'imself.'

Remus shifted on the pillow beside Kenneth and glanced swiftly at him. Kenneth knew Remus was right in all he said and that if Kenneth hadn't been pretending to be his boy, he would have been snatched up by anyone who wanted him most, as he didn't know anything about this type of living at all. He wanted to lean against Remus so everyone knew even more so that he was his.

Knowing that it was a setup and that he wasn't really Remus's "boy" was a slight disappointment; he did want to have that kind of relationship with the older werewolf, but also with a bit of how they were now thrown in. He shrugged, and crossed that out of his mind. What he really wanted was a sexual relationship with Remus, added to what they know and a bit stronger too. But as always, he'd gone all noble Kenneth on the poor werewolf and had said a lot of things that would have warmed Remus closer to him but coincidently would make Kenneth have to wait longer for him.

'You can rest on me, if you'd like,' whispered Remus, turning towards and smiling softly. He'd eaten some of the meat Kenneth saw, a fair portion of the amount on his plate. 'You were kind of leaning towards me, I thought you wanted to,' he added when Kenneth gave him a look that suggested he must have learned telepathy or another thing that was equally impressive.

'It wouldn't be something "frowned upon"?' he asked, eyeing Remus, 'I won't get the shit kicked out me for public displays of love would I?'

Remus shook his head. 'Look,' he said, pointing past Kenneth with a slender finger towards the end of the table.

Merlin, Jesus and all the Pagan and Greek gods combined. Kenneth nearly choked on his drink when he followed Remus's finger. He would have expected something like this in sex club. He would have paid to see this in a sex club if he was absolutely wasted.

Two werewolves, men, were entirely all over each at the head of the table. Kenneth was certain they were already fucking, but the cloaks obscured that from his view. But there was a great deal of thrusting, panting, moaning and heaving of the hot, sweating bodies. No one else paid them any heed at all; the others occasionally cast a glance in that direction with smirks on their faces but nothing else.

'When did that ...?' he stammered faintly. 'When did they ... I didn't even ..! Bloody hell,' he ended up murmuring. 'I didn't even notice!'

'No one cares,' Remus informed him, looking a little silly himself. Kenneth was glad that the sickening sight of blood everywhere on the table kept him from hardening at the sight that he just suddenly couldn't tear his eyes away from.

They looked like real men, none of this hairless, smooth, almost feminine stuff that Kenneth adored writhing under. They looked like real men giving into real and animalistic passions. It was hot. Whenever he felt the prickling, hard sensation, he'd just look back to the blood and swallow hard. But, by Merlin it was hot.

'You can lean on my shoulder,' said Remus again. How could he stay so calm and composed when two men were having the roughest sex right before their eyes? Kenneth wanted to hit him for it. 'No one would care if you lean on my shoulder. If I put my arms around you when I do, it'll look like an act of possessiveness.'

Kenneth blinked foolishly, his throat dry. Hesitantly he leaned against Remus's shoulder, trying to find something other than the scene at the tip of the table to rest his eyes on. 'Mmph,' he groaned appreciably. 'You're warm.'

'Are you cold?' Remus asked. 'You don't feel cold.'

'I don't know,' responded Kenneth stupidly. 'This is strange. I reckon I've had a lot more whisky than I probably should have had,' he added, looking up into Remus's eyes. 'Wait, I have had a lot more whisky than is appropriate.' He snuggled closer.

'Maybe,' said Remus, 'it's time to retire. You sound lightheaded. This all might have been a bit much for you.'  

'The blood is disgusting.' He heard a sharp crooning moan from right across from them, and looked. It was a ridiculous thing to do as right before his eyes, a man was thrusting away into the women who had been eying him up earlier. And cloaks were pushed aside. He could see everything. Crinkling his nose, he let out a jagged sigh, his eyes now boring into Remus's cloak so nothing else could be seen, but he could still hear the moans. 'Do they just do this all the time?' he asked. 'Leap into to each other like there life depends on humping?'

'You'll get used to it.'

'Fuuuck,' stated Kenneth indignantly. 'I like to retain certain secrecy to matters like this. I don't bloody mate in public.'

'Hush,' Remus warned. 'They will hear you and you'll end up drawing the gap between them and you even wider.'

'Something I'll be thankful for! They won't get anywhere near me with their filthy sexsticks. Thank Merlin for you,' he whispered, his voice drooping low again, 'thank Merlin it was you or else I'd probably be being fucked right now in front of everyone.'

The part of his mind that was connected to his penis squealed in delight – the part of his mind that was lodged in his penis, he meant. But common sense shuddered.

'Ok,' Remus said standing shakily to his feet. 'We need to get you out of here.'

Common sense agreed. But the misplaced piece of his mind wanted one last look. br>Please be a legend and leave me a **_review_**! They are practically my life source as a writer!


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